A brother and sister, aged three and 19 months, died after their throats were cut in an attack by their father, an inquest has heard.

Nigish and Pavinya Nithiyakumar were fatally injured at the family home in Ilford, east London, on 26 April, Walthamstow Coroner’s Court heard.

The boy was taken to hospital where he died later that day.

His toddler sister Pavinya was pronounced dead at the scene of the attack.

Their father, named locally as newsagent worker Nithin Kumar, 40, was taken to hospital with knife wounds after the attack and remains in a critical condition.

Scotland Yard has launched a murder investigation but officers are not looking for anyone else over the killings.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of Nigish’s death was an incised wound to the neck, said coroner’s officer Jean Smyth.

Pavinya’s cause of death was given as the same, as the inquests into their killings opened.

The siblings were identified by their mother, named locally as Nisa.

Ms Smyth told the court: “On the 26 April 2020, Nigish was attacked by his father at the home address. His throat was cut.”

She added the boy died in hospital in Whitechapel at 7.42pm the same day.

She went on: “On April 26 Pavinya was attacked by her father at the home address. Her throat was cut and she died of her injuries at the scene. Life was pronounced extinct at 5.53pm.”

Coroner Graeme Irvine Irvine said: “I am satisfied in relation to both of these very, very sad deaths that an inquest is necessary.

“I am not going to fix a time for the inquest as I am aware there is an ongoing criminal investigation in relation to both of those deaths.

“It may well be that the criminal investigation will supersede the coroner’s investigation.”

He set a review date for 30 November after formally opening the inquests.

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