Kanpur: A 41-year-old man was arrested here for allegedly killing his wife over suspected infidelity and his mother-in-law, who tried to intervene in the couple’s fight, police said on Monday.

The incident took place on Sunday night in Chakeri area’s Friends colony when Joseph Peter alias Badal, hailing from Bulandshahr district, killed Kamini Singh (39) and her mother Pushpa (62), they said.

The accused suspected that his wife, who worked at a private canteen, had an extra-marital affair with a man from Delhi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (east) Rajesh Srivastava told PTI.

Joseph had hired an auto to take Kamini for an outing on Sunday, but she refused, leading to a heated altercation between the couple, Srivastava said.

In a fit of rage, Joseph hit Kamini on her neck with a sharp-edged weapon, resulting in her death, he said.

He also killed his mother-in-law by striking her with an iron stick on the head, after she tried to intervene in the couple’s dispute, the DCP said.

Their neighbour called the police after hearing shrieks from Joseph’s house, the DCP said, adding that police found Kamini and Pushpa lying dead in a pool of blood upon reaching there.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, police said.