POLICE went to the hospital bedside of gunshot victim Kashmira Singh and arrested him on suspicion of murdering his older brother.

Sawa Singh (right), 51, who had three grown up children and was known as Charlie, was found dead with gunshot wounds at his home at The Causeway, Chippenham, early on Monday morning.

Police and paramedics who descended on the house just after 5.30am found father-of-five Kashmira Singh, 42, and his 38-year-old wife Diola critically injured with shotgun wounds.

They were both rushed to Bath's Royal United Hospital by ambulance. Kashmira Singh, who lost the sight in one of his eyes in a racial attack five years ago, was later transferred to the Bristol Royal Infirmary with shotgun wounds to his chest.

His condition was stable and he was conscious on Tuesday afternoon when he was arrested and cautioned by police at his bedside in a private room of the hospital. He is now under police guard.

Mrs Singh, who suffered a gunshot wound to her groin, is fighting for her life at the RUH after undergoing a number of operations. Police say she has had transfusions of nine litres of blood.

PC Andy Fortune of Chippenham police said it is believed a major artery may have been severed. "She is very, very poorly," he said. "It is a bit touch and go."

PC Fortune said Kashmira Singh was fully aware of what was going on when he was cautioned on Tuesday. "He was definitely conscious and definitely understood why he had been arrested," said PC Fortune.

"He suffered shot wounds to his upper chest, but he is now expected to make a complete recovery."

Kashmira Singh was due to be transferred to Bristol's Frenchay Hospital on Wednesday for skin grafts and is expected to stay there for at least two weeks.

"He has been up and about and talking and is quite well," added PC Fortune.

Police were alerted to the tragedy by a woman family member who dialled 999 just after 5.30am on Monday, December 3, and firearms officers were immediately sent to the house.

"She reported that someone had been shot inside the house," said Detective Chief Superintendent Gary Chatfield, who is leading the investigation.

Before entering the house, police talked to a woman inside who brought out a sawn-off, pump action shotgun and laid it on the ground.

Paramedics then dashed inside but were too late to save Charlie Singh.

The scene that met police and ambulance officers was one of horror. "It was very disturbing for our officers," said a police spokesman. "There was a lot of blood."

Upstairs asleep were Kashmira and Diola Singh's five children. Also in the house were the mother of the Singh brothers and Charlie Singh's wife.

Police cordoned off The Causeway, one of the main entrances into Chippenham, at Burlands Road and the Market Place until 3pm.

Road jams built up as traffic was diverted around the town via Avenue La Fleche or Wood Lane.

Home Office pathologist Huw White arrived from London at around lunchtime, and Mr Singh's body was taken from the house in the early afternoon.

The house, which was divided into two separate homes but linked on the ground floor, remained cordoned off yesterday while forensic specialists continued to carry out tests.

The Singhs' younger brother Kiker lives elsewhere in Chippenham and the Singh family ran a sign shop in New Road, Chippenham, that closed earlier in the year.

Long time family friend and businessman Alan Aldridge said the family had been torn apart by the tragedy.

"They are devastated," he said. "The whole family is devastated. It is such a horrendous tragedy to happen to such lovely people."

Mr Aldridge, who has known the family for 25 years, visited the Singhs on Monday night and again on Tuesday and said it had been a very difficult meeting.

"Everyone is so upset," he said. "It appears to be a horrendous accident, something went tragically wrong. On Monday night it was just a case of comforting friends and comforting each other. The family is so torn apart."

Family from across the country have converged on the Singh household offering their support and sympathy.

Four family liaison officers from Wiltshire police are looking after the Singh family because it is so large, including one officer working with Mrs Singh's side of the family in Birmingham.

An incident room has been set up at Chippenham police station where 50 officers are working on the inquiry.