A young Indian woman was beaten to death and her boyfriend beheaded after they eloped in defiance of local caste rules, the Telegraph reported.

 

The couple was attacked and killed in front of neighbors in their home village Wednesday after they were persuaded to return with promises that they would be safe. The young woman’s father, uncle and two associates have been arrested for the murders.

 

Dharmender Barak, a 23-year-old studying information technology in Rohtak, Haryana, and his girlfriend Nidhi, a 20-year-old arts student, had run away from their home in Ghanavati village on Tuesday in fear for their safety and fled to Delhi, 40 miles away.

 

The spent the night in Delhi but decided to return home after Nidhi’s parents called to reassure them and indicated they would accept their relationship.

 

The couple was believed to have been dating for several years despite warnings to stop, according to the Telegraph.

 

Both the young man and woman were members of the same gotra — clan or sub-group of the Jat caste — whose elders regard intra-clan marriage as incest, even they are not blood relatives.

 

Local councils of clan elders, known as Khap Panchayats, have ordered runaway lovers to be killed and demanded government support for their right to carry out such honor killings.

 

Dharmender and Nidhi were grabbed shortly after their return on Wednesday and Nidhi was beaten to death as a small crowd of neighbors gathered to watch.

 

None of them tried to save her, police said. She was later cremated in a field, while her boyfriend Dharmender was beaten. His arms and legs were broken and he was beheaded nearby. His body was dumped outside his family’s home in the village.