An interfaith couple was brutally murdered, allegedly by the girl’s family members, in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad in what is suspected to be an honour killing, police said on Thursday, Times of India reported.
The bodies of the couple—a 24-year-old Muslim man and an 18-year-old Hindu woman—were found behind a temple on the outskirts of their village in the Pakbada police station area of Moradabad on Wednesday evening, three days after the duo went missing.
Both Kajal Saini and Mohd Arman were residents of Umri Sabzipur village.
According to the report, citing police officials, Arman had gone to meet Kajal on Sunday when her relatives saw them, became infuriated, and brutally murdered the couple. They then buried the bodies near the Gagan River on the outskirts of the village.
According to village pradhan Pranav Saini, cited by the newspaper, the deceased were in a relationship and had gone missing together. The matter came to light on Wednesday when the man’s family approached the police and filed a missing persons complaint. Police initiated an inquiry, and upon questioning, the woman’s family members broke down and revealed the location where the bodies were buried.
Further investigation revealed that the girl’s brothers had murdered both individuals. Using the information shared by the accused, the victims’ bodies were recovered by the police. A shovel allegedly used in the crime was also recovered.
The girl’s brothers—Rinku Saini and Satish Saini—have been arrested by the police based on an FIR lodged by the man’s family.
Tensions prevailed in the area, with members from both communities gathering at the site after the bodies were exhumed. Additional police forces, including PAC personnel, have been deployed to maintain law and order.