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An accountant allegedly slaughtered 14 members of his own family, including seven children, with a butcher's knife before hanging himself.

Husnain Warerkar, 35, slit his relatives' throats during a family celebration in the Indian district of Thane in the early hours of today, police said.

The victims included his parents, his wife and seven children.

After carrying out the killings, Warerkar reportedly committed suicide .

One of his sisters was the only survivor of the horrific attack.

The terrified woman was taken to a nearby hospital by neighbours after her brother slaughtered the rest of their family.

(Image: NDTV) (Image: NDTV)

Warerkar allegedly attacked his family members in Thane, 20 miles from the city of Mumbai, after lacing their food with sedatives, according to local reports.

However, this is yet to be confirmed, with officials awaiting medical test results.

Joint Commissioner of Police, Ashutosh K Dumrare, said of the incident: "A local, Husnain Warerkar, residing here, killed 14 members of his family including parents, wife, children and three out of four sisters and later committed suicide.

"He killed others with a knife and hanged himself."

Warerkar was found hanging in his room with the knife in his hand after committing suicide, police said.

Neighbours described the alleged killer as a cheerful person who showed no signs of any psychological disorder.

"We came running. His sister was shouting from the window for help," said one.

"We saved her by breaking the window. When we tried to break through the door she asked us not to as her brother was holding a knife.

"My elder brother and I went to call the police."

Thane Police spokesman Gajanan Laxman Kabdule told Sky News that officers are still yet to speak with the sole survivor of the massacre.

(Image: NDTV)

"We still haven't been able to speak with the attacker's 21-year-old sister, the lone survivor of the attack, who is in deep trauma at a city hospital," he said.

The motive for the killings remains unclear.

Police are investigating the incident.