A LABASA son has regretted not acting earlier to save his mother and grandfather who were allegedly axed to death early yesterday morning.
Mohindar Mehta, who lives next door to his mother, heard a scream for help at about 1.30am.
He said past experiences of seeing his mother argue with his stepfather flashed in his mind as he ran towards her house.
Mr Mehta lost his mother Amra Wati, 53, his grandfather Madho, 93, while his younger sister whose wedding date is set for next month is admitted at Labasa Hospital with cuts to her body.
The tragedy, which has shocked the community of Vunivau outside Labasa Town, has also baffled family members who shared dinner and grog with the victims on Sunday evening a few hours before the tragedy. The accused, who is in police custody, married Mrs Wati eight years ago but lived most of his life in the United States.
Mrs Wati's first husband died in 2002 and his father, Madho, continued to live with the family while his grandchildren looked after him. Yesterday, detectives were still interviewing neighbours and family members to determine what led to the killings.
Recalling what happened early yesterday morning, Mohindar said everything happened so fast.
"We just finished drinking grog with my friends at home and we heard someone screaming 'bachao, bachao', and I ran up to my mothers' house to check what was happening."
"When I got there, my friend ran towards the porch while I ran from the back of the house but the doors were locked so I ran back infront of the house."
"When I got to the front, my sister who is in hospital just managed to open the door and ran outside to the compound with blood all over her," Mohindar said.
He ran towards his sister to pick her up and asked her what happened.
"She kept saying my stepfather's name and was pointing inside the house so I ran inside and I saw him."
"When he saw me, then he ran towards me with the axe so I ducked a swing he made and the axe hit my left arm."
"I grabbed him and took hold of the axe and threw it outside and he started murmuring that a ghost came to cut up my family," Mohindar said.
He said by that time, other members of the family had arrived to help take the sister to hospital.
Police has, again, pleaded with the public to discuss problems and resolve matters.
Police spokesman Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri confirmed the accused has been taken from the Labasa Hospital and kept in police custody.
"We have always pleaded with the public to resolve problems especially family matters through discussion and not taking the law into their own hands with anger."
"Police is continuing with investigations and the accused has been questioned over the incident," Insp Sokomuri said.