Lucknow, Dec 1 (IANS): Two sisters were hacked to death late Monday night on the outskirts of Lucknow, police said on Tuesday.

Rekha, 25, and Savita, 19, were killed in front of their mother in their house in Ratauli village of Shahjahanpur district.

Investigations are undergoing and police are exploring the possibility of an "insider hand" into the killings, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajesh Pandey told IANS.

Rekha was married and was living with her parents because of some issues with her husband.

The mother and the two sisters were first held hostage by assailants in their house and then the two were stabbed many times before their throats were slit in front of their mother Usha Devi, police said.

The bodies have been sent for autopsy, and a case of murder has been registered against unidentified assailants.

Senior police officials who rushed to the crime spot have assured angry locals that they will crack the case very soon.