| A 1983-batch IAS officer, Jagadananda Panda also shot his 22-year-old son Swapneswar, who was critically injured and is battling for his life in a local hospital, where he was operated upon. All the five were shot from close range and had bullet injuries in the head, police said.
Panda was the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) in the Overseas Indian Affairs department in Delhi and was believed to be in a state of depression after CBI raided his house. Details of the case against him were not not available immediately.
The bodies of Surekha (46), father Manus (75) and two sisters Bijayalaxmi (57) and Kishori (44) were found lying in a pool of blood in his residence in Deogaon village near Sambalpur in western Orissa after his mother, who is said to have heard the gunshots, rushed from the first floor and called neighbours.
A suicide note, purportedly signed by the official, was found from his house in Deogaon, about six km from here, said Inspector General of Police Y B Khurania. It has been sent for examination by handwriting experts.
"There are indications that Panda killed his family members before shooting himself but further investigation is required," Khurania said.
Police said Panda, a Special Relief Commissioner in Orissa before proceeding to Delhi on deputation, had purchased 40 rounds of bullets from a private arms dealer in Bhubaneswar on July 27. 31 live cartridges were recovered from the house.
Panda, whose home in Deogaon was raided by CBI last week, had come on two months leave and had gone to Turkel near his village where he practised firing after his arrival from Delhi two days ago, police said quoting the driver of a vehicle hired by the official.
All the bodies bore bullet wounds in the head and appeared to have been shot from close range, police said.
The official's mother, who was on the first floor of the house, came down after hearing gun shots and called the neighbours, police said adding the main door and other entries were shut from inside.
Panda's son Swapneswar was in the intensive care unit now and could throw light on what had happened after recovery.
Doctors attending on him said there were chances of his survival as the bullet had hit frontal portion of his head.
Orissa Home Secretary A P Padhi said the priority now was to save Panda's son by bringing to Bhubaneswar for treatment, if necessary.
Though it was believed that Panda could have taken the extreme step as he was upset due to a CBI case in connection with which his house was raided, it was not clear what the case was about.
Among the items recovered from Panda's house was the receipt showing his purchase of 40 rounds of bullets for his revolver at a price of Rs. 2, 961, an official associated with the investigation said.
Panda had reached Bhubaneswar from Delhi on July 27 and arrived in Bargarh the next day. His wife and son were also with him when he came to the village.
Police, however, could not say whether his wife and son were aware that Panda was in possession of 40 live bullets.
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