GORAKHPUR: In a suspected case of honour killing, a woman was burnt alive by her family members over an inter-faith love affair, police said on Monday.
The woman's father, brother, brother-in-law and another person have been arrested in this connection, they said.
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.
"The victim's father Kailash Yadav, brother Ajit Yadav, brother-in-law Satyaprakash 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," a police official said.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Superintendent of Police of Sant Kabir Nagar, Kaustubh noted, "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.
" "The victim's father told 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," he said.
According to police, 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.
The accused then set her afire by pouring petrol on her, and fled the spot, police added.