LAKHIMPUR KHERI: A 35-year-old man allegedly hacked his wife and younger brother to death with an axe and injured his mother in Naurangabad locality here early Monday morning, police said.

While the motive for the two killings was not immediately clear, the police suspect that Shakil committed the crime because he believed his wife, Shabikunnishan (30), and brother, Mohsin (30), were having an affair.

His mother, Sabirunnishan, attempted to stop him during the attack but he turned on her and injured her hand, they said.

Shakil, who is apparently mentally disturbed, was later held by local residents and handed over to the police, they said, adding that the axe was seized.

Kheri superintendent of police Poonam visited the scene of crime and said investigations were on to ascertain the motive behind the gruesome killings.