Hathras, March 26 : A man and his wife were axed to death in a village in Hathras district, following a minor dispute during Holi earlier in the day.

According to reports, Bobby and his wife Sunita were sleeping outside the house in their farm, in village Pora of Sikandrarau Kotwali when one Nannu and his two sons, Rajkumar and Ramu, came into the shed with axes and sticks.

All three attacked the sleeping Bobby with an axe, killing him on the spot.

His wife Sunita woke up and tried to run away but she was caught and attacked with an axe. She also died on the spot.

The police have arrested Nannu and his son Ramu based on a complaint filed by Pankaj, the deceased couple's son on Tuesday. The other son Rajkumar is absconding.

The double murders, sources said, were a result of a trivial dispute between Nanu and Bobby during Holi celebrations.

Bobby owned a gutkha-tobacco shop in the house itself and while playing Holi, Nannu demanded tobacco which Bobby refused. This led to a clash between the two and Nannu sustained minor injuries.

Later in the night, Nannu and his sons committed the murders.

Hathras Superintendent of Police Nipun Aggarwal and Assistant Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar reached the spot in the night itself.

The SP said that Nannu and his son Ramu have been taken into custody and the bodies have been sent for post mortem.

He said that the third accused would be arrested soon as investigations were underway.

/IANS