In a shocking incident, a recently promoted Deputy Superintendent of Police shot dead his wife, son and daughter before shooting himself with his service pistol at his residence in Madurai early on Monday, police said.

Ebnazer (48) killed his wife Tilakavathi, son Paul Jebadurai and daughter Angel Bakyam and shot himself angered by some overnight quarrel.

While Tilakavathi and Paul died on the spot, Bakyam died in a hospital, police said adding that a boy related to the DSP, who was staying with the family and sleeping in another room, was unharmed.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Vijayakumar and Superintendent of Police Aviprakash Sinha visited the house for an enquiry. All the bodies were shifted to a government hospital for post-mortem.