PUDONG New Area police said yesterday that they are looking for a man who allegedly assaulted a 72-year-old man and his daughter-in-law with hammers because he thought his waste-collection business was under threat.

Both victims were out of danger by yesterday. A surgeon surnamed Lu of Gongli Hospital said the man, surnamed Zhuang, was seriously hurt, suffering a brain hemorrhage.

The attack happened around 1pm on Wednesday in a residential complex of Lane 2242, Zhangyang Road. The suspect, surnamed Shang, rushed into the complex with two hammers and hit Zhuang severely, said a security guard. After knocking the old man out, Shang attacked the 40-year-old woman, surnamed Xia.

Security guards hurried to the scene and grabbed Shang's hammers, but Shang fought them and got away.