From correspondents in Uttar Pradesh, India, 12:04 AM IST

The bodies of two children were found in a jungle area on the outskirts of the state capital Tuesday, police said.

The incident was reported from Gaura village of the Mohanlalganj locality on the outskirts of Lucknow Tuesday evening.

'Thirteen-year-old Preeti and her five-year-old brother Rahul went into the jungles to pick wood in the afternoon. However, when they did not return their parents started searching for them,' Additional Superintendent of Police S.K. Tiwari told IANS.

The bodies of the kids were recovered from the jungles later Tuesday evening.

'The bodies bore severe injury marks and it appears they were hit a number of times by a sharp weapon like an axe. The bodies are being sent for post-mortem examination and we are making efforts to gather all possible clues,' Tiwari added.

'Raju, the father of the deceased, is a plumber by profession and he has denied having any kind of enmity with anyone,' he added.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)