A 50-year-old man allegedly murdered his father by slitting his throat with a knife and also attempted to kill his mother, at Tekkalipalem village under Sabbavaram police station limits in Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday.

Police said the crime was the outcome of a property dispute, adding that the wife and son of the accused helped him commit the shocking acts.

The deceased was identified as G. Swamy Naidu, aged around 75 years.

According to police, the deceased had a dispute with his son G. Appa Rao. The accused, along with his wife and son, frequently quarrelled with Swamy Naidu on a number of occasions over the possession of an agricultural land.

On Wednesday, it is learnt that Swamy Naidu and his wife were working in their farm when they were attacked by Appa Rao. The accused reportedly hacked his father with a sharp-edged weapon, killing him on the spot. Later, Appa Rao with the help of his wife and two sons attempted to kill his mother by choking the elderly woman in the field. When the woman lost consciousness, the accused and his family left the spot presuming her to be dead.

After a short while, when villagers checked on her, she was found to be breathing and was rushed to a hospital where she is undergoing treatment.

Police have reportedly taken Appa Rao and some of his family into custody after coming to know of the incident. A case has been registered at Sabbavaram police station, and further details are yet to be ascertained.