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In a brutal killing over 'family honour' in Sant Kabir Nagar, a woman was burnt alive by her family members for her inter-faith love affair, police said on Monday.
The victim's father, brother, brother-in-law and an accomplice were arrested 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 for 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, 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 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, who recently retired from the army, 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 and frequently went to live with him, he along with his son and son-in-law hired a contract killer from Mahuli to kill her," the SP said.
The victim's other two sisters and one brother are married and her father wanted to marry her with the youth of his religion.
According to police, as per the plan, 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 gagged her. The accused then set her afire by pouring petrol on her, and fled the spot.
The family then lodged a report that she was missing.