Honour killing: UP family shells out 1.5 lakh to mercenary

In yet another incident of honour killing, this time a woman in Sant Kabir Nagar was burnt alive by her family members over an inter-faith love affair.

The police have arrested the victim's father, brother, brother-in-law and one more person in this connection.

According to police, the family had hired a contract killer, Varun Tiwari, and paid him Rs 1.5 lakh to eliminate the woman over her relationship with a Muslim man.

A police official said, "The victim's father Kailash Yadav, brother Ajit Yadav, brother-in-law Satya Prakash Yadav and one Sitaram Yadav were arrested on Sunday. A petrol container and motorcycle used in the crime have also been recovered by the police. A hunt is on to trace the contract killer."

Superintendent of Police of Sant Kabir Nagar, Kaustubh said, "A half-burnt body of a young woman was found at village Jigina under Dhanghata police station limit on February 4. With the help of local police, surveillance, CCTV footage, field unit and dog squad, the body was identified as that of Ranjana Yadav of Belghat area in Gorakhpur."

He further said that "The victim's father admitted before the police that his daughter was having an affair with a Muslim man. He said when she was not ready to leave her lover, he along with his son and son-in-law hired a contract killer from Mahuli to kill her."

One of the accused took the woman to a deserted place in Jigina village on a motorcycle on February 3. The other accused joined them and tied the woman's hands and mouth. They then set her ablaze by pouring petrol on her, and fled the spot, the SP said.