The second accused is Javed, brother of the main accused Sajid, who was shot dead in a police encounter within two hours after two minor brothers were brutally murdered on Tuesday night.

Javed was reportedly waiting on a motorbike outside the house where the murders took place and fled with Sajid.

The mother of the slain children told reporters on Wednesday, “It is Javed who can disclose the motive behind the murder of my minor sons. I still do not know why Sajid killed my sons. Maybe he did it at someone’s behest,” she said.

The two children were hacked to death allegedly by Sajid, a local barber, at Baba Colony in Badaun on Tuesday evening, police said. The victims have reportedly been identified as Ayush ,13, and Honey ,6, while the accused Sajid, 22, a barber, owned a kiosk outside the house of the deceased.

“He came to me on Tuesday evening and asked for Rs 5000 saying that his wife was in hospital for delivery. I spoke to my husband and he asked me to give the money. I gave the money and went to the kitchen. Sajid, meanwhile, went upstairs where two boys were playing with their brother, Piyush, 8, and attacked them. Piyush managed to escape and came running down and alerted us. There is no apparent reason for the incident,” she stated.

About two hours after the murders, Sajid was killed in an alleged police encounter.

UP director general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said the accused was shot dead when he opened fire on the police team pursuing him.

The victims' father, Vinod Singh, is a contractor, while their mother, Sangeeta, has a beauty parlour.

Badaun SSP Alok Priyadarshi said that on the complaint of the deceased’s father, the police registered an FIR against Sajid and his brother Javed.

The FIR states, “The accused Sajid told my wife that he wanted money as his wife was about to deliver a child. When she went inside to take money, he said that he was feeling unwell and wanted to go for a walk on the terrace and took my sons (deceased) with him. He also called his brother Javed to the terrace. When my wife returned, she saw Sajid and Javed with a knife in their hands. Sajid also tried to attack my surviving son and he sustained injuries. Both were running away and Sajid told my wife that today he had completed his work.”

The father of the deceased has said that two people were involved in the murder and they are still unaware as to why this incident happened.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the two children were handed over to the family after post mortem on Wednesday. The last rites will take place later in the day.

A heavy police deployment has been made at the Baba Colony to maintain law and order.

Badaun district magistrate Manoj Kumar said the situation was normal in the area.