6 Oct 2012

Death sentence imposed after honour killing

5:31 am on 6 October 2012

A court in India has sentenced five members of a family to death for the torture and murder of a young couple two years ago.

They were tortured and electrocuted by the girl's family, who objected to the relationship because the young man was from a lower Hindu caste.

The girl's parents, uncle, aunt and a cousin were arrested the day after the crime. They were convicted on Monday.

Last year the Supreme Court said honour killings should get the death penalty.

The BBC reports most parents in India still prefer arranged marriages within their own caste and relationships outside of caste are frowned upon.

The couple, known by the single names of Yogesh and Asha, met as neighbours in the Gokulpuri area of north-east Delhi.

They were taken by Asha's parents to her uncle's house in the Swaroop Nagar area of the city where the torture and killings took place.