MYSURU: Five people, all hailing from Tamil Nadu, were found brutally murdered at a sugarcane field near Harale village in Kollegal rural Police station limits in Chamarajnagar district on Monday night.

Police said the deceased have been identified as Rajendra, 32, a supervisor and a native of Palakuttai village Saththi taluk, Rajamma, 35, and her seven year old daughter Roja, from Guddeyur of Bhavani taluk, Kashi and Shivamma both natives of Kadambur village, Saththi taluk, all farm workers. While Rajendra belonged to Pidiyachchi Gowdar community, the rest belonged to Soliga community, they added.

Chamarajnagar SP S. Rangaswamy Nayak told Deccan Chronicle that Rajendra had brought nearly 15 people from villages in Tamil Nadu for sugarcane harvesting over 15 to 20 years ago. They used to move from field to field and even harvested paddy during the season, he added.

The killings happened reportedly due to a dispute among the farm workers and the rest of them are absconding. The victims were attacked using sugarcane choppers, the SP said. Kollegal Rural police have registered a case and begun investigations. The bodies were handed over to the relatives after post-mortem at Kollegal taluk Government hospital.