In a shocking incident of alleged honour killing, a 16-year-old girl was brutally assaulted, killed, and her body set on fire by her own family in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district. The crime was triggered after the girl eloped with a 19-year-old youth from her neighbourhood.
Police Intervene at Cremation Ground
According to Kasganj Police, they received critical information on Sunday, January 11, 2026. A family was attempting to hastily cremate a young girl's body at the village cremation ground, allegedly to destroy evidence of murder. A police team rushed to the spot and extinguished the funeral pyre by pouring water on it. The remains were sent for a post-mortem examination, the report of which is currently awaited.
The Station House Officer (SHO) confirmed that an FIR has been registered against nine members of the girl's family on multiple charges, including murder. Police have detained two of her relatives for intensive questioning, while a manhunt is underway to trace and arrest the other accused.
A Forbidden Relationship and a Tragic Elopement
Preliminary investigations reveal that the teenage girl and the 19-year-old youth, who belongs to the same community, had been in a relationship for the past three years. Their bond faced strong opposition from both families. Police stated that the girl's family had pressured her repeatedly to end the relationship, but she stood firm.
The situation escalated on Friday, January 9, when the couple allegedly eloped. The girl's family launched their own search and, through a friend of the youth, discovered the couple was in Agra and planning to marry. The family rushed to Agra, located the couple, and forcibly dragged them back to Kasganj.
Assault, Murder, and an Attempt to Destroy Evidence
Back in Kasganj, the family confined the couple in a relative's house located outside the village. It was here that the family allegedly subjected them to a violent assault, which led to the tragic death of the 16-year-old girl.
In a cold-blooded move to cover up the crime, the family decided to perform her last rites in the early hours of the morning. However, the youth managed to escape from captivity. He reached his village and informed his family about the horrific incident, who then alerted the police.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kasganj, Sushil Kumar Ganga Prasad, stated that the youth is currently in police custody and is being questioned as part of the investigation. Three separate police teams have been formed to nab the absconding family members. The houses of the girl's parents and close relatives were found locked.
Circle Officer (CO) Anchal Chauhan noted that when the couple initially eloped, neither family approached the police, choosing instead to handle the matter themselves. As the probe deepens, police are examining the call records of both the girl and the youth to establish the nature and duration of their relationship and create a clear timeline of the tragic events.
