Couple lynched in Bulandshahr again

In a grotesque reminder of a couple’s lynching in Bulandshahr district’s Etmadpura village last month, an 18-year-old girl and her 25-year-old lover were done to death in Bhopur village of the same district yesterday. Two persons, including the girl’s uncle, were arrested after the police recovered partly-charred bodies of the couple. Police are looking for two others named in the FIR.

According to the police, Sajni, a newly-wed girl of the Rajput community, had eloped with her lover, Chander, a Dalit, on September 5 from her parents’ house. Officials said Sajni had been married off against her wishes to a much older man after her family came to know of her affair with their neighbour, Chander.

On September 10, the girl’s family hired a bus, gathered some more villagers and set off for Delhi after they learnt that the couple were living in Gokulpuri. The two were woken up and taken back to Bhopur. As soon as they reached the village, Sajni and Chander were reportedly pulled out of the bus and lynched to death by the assembled crowd. Their bodies were then set ablaze. However, a drizzle prevented the bodies from being burnt completely before the police reached the spot, officials said.