Police in east China's Anhui Province are searching for a man in connection with the murder of his wife's two teenage nephews on Monday.

The man, surnamed Wang, is wanted in connection with the murder of 16-year-old Zuo Zongsheng, who was persuaded to skip class before he was stabbed to death.

The boy's half-brother, Zuo Zongming, 13, was later stabbed to death while recovering from surgery in a hospital.

The boys were both nephews of Wang's wife, according to police.

More than 2,000 police, local officials and residents have combed Xitashan Mountain in Taochang Town, Hanshan County, in search of Wang, but called off the search after finding no trace of him.

An official of Hanshan County said police would issue an alert for Wang and seek public information on his whereabouts.

Police said a neighbor had reported that Wang and his wife had quarreled the day before the killings.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2007)