SELMA, California — A former Indian Army officer wanted in a 1996 killing in the disputed Kashmir region killed his wife and two of their children in their California home before apparently taking his own life, authorities said.

Avtar Singh called police at around 6:15 A.M. Saturday and told them that he had just killed four people, Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Curtice said.

Police asked for assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office because Singh was known to have a military background and was wanted by authorities in India for allegedly killing a human rights lawyer in 1996 in the disputed Kashmir region, Curtice said.

When a sheriff’s SWAT team entered the home they found the bodies of Singh, a woman believed to be his wife and two children, ages 3 and 15, Curtice said. All four appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.

A 17-year-old boy also found in the home was suffering from severe head trauma and was “barely alive,” Curtice said. The teen was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery. His condition wasn’t known.

Singh fled to the US after he was accused of killing lawyer Jaleel Andrabi in India-controlled Kashmir’s main city, Srinagar. Singh owned and operated Jay Truck Lines, a trucking company in Selma.

Alli Adan, a driver for the company, said he spent time with Singh this past week, including Friday night, and Singh acted normally.

“He was a nice guy,” Adan told the newspaper. “I couldn’t believe it because I didn’t think he could do something like this.” — AP