Lucknow: In a distressing incident that unfolded in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh, a middle-aged Muslim couple was reportedly beaten to death on Friday. The incident is believed to be linked to an inter-community dispute.

As reported by The Indian Express, the tragic incident seems to have roots in the elopement of the couple's son with a girl from a different community within the same village. Allegedly, the family members of the girl were involved in carrying out the attack.

Authorities have taken swift action, with the arrest of the girl's brother, brother-in-law, and a family friend. A search is currently underway to locate the girl's parents. The five accused individuals are facing charges that include rioting, murder, and assault. In a bid to ensure the safety of the interfaith couple, the police have decided to keep their location confidential. Interestingly, the couple had left the village a day before the attack on the deceased man's parents occurred.

The longstanding rivalry between the two families is said to have originated from the elopement of the adult son of the now-deceased couple with the girl back in 2020. During this time, the girl was a minor, leading to charges of kidnapping, rape, and violation of the Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act against the young man. However, upon the girl's attainment of 18 years of age, the two once again eloped, and this time she testified in court that her departure with her partner was voluntary.

Quoting Sitapur Superintendent of Police, Chakresh Mishra, the report detailed the tragic event. "Information came in about a clash between the two parties, which resulted in the loss of two lives. Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement discovered the bodies of a couple, both approximately 50 years old. Witnesses from the vicinity conveyed that another family from the neighborhood had allegedly attacked the couple using iron rods, leading to their unfortunate demise. The couple succumbed to their injuries on the spot. Post-mortem examinations are being conducted, and police presence has been heightened in the village."

A police officer familiar with the case provided additional insights. "The 28-year-old son of the deceased couple had previously faced charges in 2020 for eloping with an underage girl, following a complaint lodged by the girl's family. Subsequently, he was arrested and remained in custody for 13 months. Several months ago, upon the girl reaching the age of 18, the two fled once more. This led to the filing of another case, where this time, the girl testified in favor of her partner in court. Approximately two months prior to this tragic incident, the young man was arrested once again in connection with a separate case. He was released on bail just a few days prior to the unfortunate events that transpired."