Lima, Oct 28 (IANS/EFE) Murder of a mother in front of her five children ages between one and 14 at a school here in Peru has sparked nationwide outrage and was condemned by the government.

The woman, identified as Elvira Salas Collazos, had her throat cut by Alexander Huayta Ventura, 19, who attacked her inside the state-run El Nazareno school where the victim lived with her children and worked as a watchman, local media reported.

The alleged attacker held one of the woman's daughters, seven-yeard-old, hostage for three hours until he was captured by the National Police, who had been alerted by neighbours after four of the children fled when the young man broke into the school early Monday morning.

Huayta Ventura was taken to Maria Auxiliadora Hospital in Lima for treatment of a number of wounds he inflicted on himself in an attempt to slit his wrists and throat before being arrested.

The president of Peru's Council of Ministers, Ana Jara, expressed her horror at the incident on the social networks and called for the maximum penalty to be levied against the killer.