A 56-year-old prominent Chiredzi medical doctor allegedly ran amok on Sunday and knifed his two children to death in Mkwasine Estates before seriously injuring two others following a quarrel with his wife.
Dr William Phiri then tried to commit suicide by torching his house after locking himself and his four children inside.
He was however pulled out of his burning house unconscious but stark naked by neighbours and relatives.
They also retrieved Phiri’s four children two of whom had already died after being allegedly knifed and repeatedly crashed to the ground.
Phiri later regained consciousness and fled while armed with a firearm and hid in a nearby cane field.
He tried to shoot himself but the firearm reportedly jammed.
Phiri tried suicide once more by stabbing himself with a knife on the chest several times.
Phiri and his two other injured children, a girl aged six and a boy aged four are reportedly in a critical condition at Chiredzi District Hospital.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the development saying police are still investigating full circumstances behind the incident.