5 die in ‘honour’ killings:

Five young people in northern India are believed to have been murdered by their families or partner’s relatives in suspected honour killings, in three separate incidents this week, police said Saturday.

Police arrested the father and brother of a 19-year-old Hindu woman Friday on suspicion of murdering her and her 23-year-old lover, both from the lowest Dalit caste.

The relatives allegedly strangled the couple after catching them having sex at their home in Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh state, police said.

“We have arrested the father and brother of the girl. They told us they killed them because she had brought disrepute to the family,” Bhushan Verma, investigating officer in Shamli, told AFP.

“We are investigating to see if there were more relatives involved. Both were strangled to death.”

It came after another Hindu couple in their 20s were Thursday found dead in nearby Saharanpur district, also in Uttar Pradesh, after their families allegedly objected to their relationship.

Police have not ruled out suicide after the couple were found hanging inside the man’s house.

“It could be honour killing or suicide. We are waiting for the post mortem reports to confirm the cause of death,” Pradeep Kumar Yadav, police chief of Saharanpur, told AFP.

Yadav said the couple were in a three year relationship and wanted to marry but faced resistance from both families. (AFP)