Kannur (Kerala) | A 31-year-old man was hacked to death at his home in broad daylight by unidentified persons in this north Kerala district on Tuesday, police said.

The incident was reported from Kanjirakkolli near Payyavoor.

Police said Nidheesh Babu was attacked and killed in front of his wife, Shruthi, by a two-member gang who came on a motorbike. The woman, who tried to prevent the attackers, also sustained injuries.

The murderers managed to flee from the scene in their vehicle, police said.

According to Payyavur police, Nidheesh was a blacksmith by profession.

The assailants, who arrived at his work area located adjacent to the house at noon, engaged in an altercation with Nidheesh and attacked him with a sharp weapon found there, they said.

The accused were yet to be identified, and more details were expected to be available after recording the statement of the injured woman, police said.

The body would be shifted to the state-run medical college here after the postmortem, they added.