A Hindu-Muslim couple murdered, claiming inter-religious love is not allowed - a village in India erupts.

The people of a small village in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, India, who have lived peacefully for many years, are deeply shocked by the murder of an interfaith couple. The bodies of Kajal, a 19-year-old Hindu girl, and Mohammed Armaan, a 27-year-old Muslim youth, both residents of the village named Umri, were found buried on a riverbank near the village on January 21.

Police investigations have revealed that the couple was assaulted and murdered by the girl's three brothers, who have since been arrested.

Preliminary police investigations have revealed that this murder was an "honour killing." The tragic situation where women are killed by their own family members for marrying or having romantic relationships outside their caste or religion is still prevalent in some rural areas of India. The village of Umri, located about 182 kilometers from the capital Delhi, is home to about 400 families, and villagers say that its Hindu and Muslim communities have lived in great harmony for many years without any religious conflict. However, Kajal and Armaan's relationship is considered the first interfaith love affair reported in this village.

According to the police, the murder took place on the night between January 18 and 19. It is alleged that when Armaan came to Kajal's house, her brothers, Rajaram, Satish, and Rinku, attacked and killed them both with a hoe. After the murder, in an attempt to mislead the police, the brothers had also filed a police complaint on January 20, claiming that Armaan had abducted their sister. However, inconsistencies in the statements during questioning of family members from both sides enabled the police to uncover the truth.

Kajal worked as a teacher in a private school in Umri, and Armaan had worked in Saudi Arabia for four years and returned to the village five months ago. Although they were neighbors living about 200 meters from each other, no one in their families knew about their relationship. When Armaan's family inquired about his disappearance, they learned about the relationship through friends. Armaan's brother, Farman Ali, states that Armaan left home that night saying he was going to get medicine.

Kajal's father, Ganpat Saini, says that he and his wife were not at home on the day of the incident, and they spent the night in a shed outside the village to look after animals. He stated that when he returned home the next morning, his daughter was not there, and he only learned about the murder after the bodies were found. However, he refused to comment to the media on whether he knew about his daughter's relationship.

According to data from India's National Crime Records Bureau, 38 such honour killings were reported in 2023 alone, but social activists point out that the true number is much higher. Often, such incidents are registered as ordinary murders, and their true nature is revealed only in the later stages of investigations. Human rights activists say that 93% of marriages in India are still arranged by parents, and couples who break caste and religious barriers constantly face social pressure and violence. Currently, security has been tightened in Umri village, and villagers say that such an unfortunate incident occurring in their village is unbelievable.