Bhubaneswar, March 14 -- The accused in the triple murder case reported from Gariapali village under Kundheigola police station in Deogarh district was traced and taken into custody, police said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Ramesh Garia, had been absconding after allegedly killing three members of his family, his wife, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. According to reports, he was later found hiding on top of a water tank in the village, leading to a coordinated operation involving police, fire services personnel and local residents.

According to reports, villagers first noticed the accused on top of the village water tank and immediately surrounded the area to prevent him from escaping. Local residents kept a watch on the s...