A couple belonging to India’s lowest castes was allegedly hacked to death with an axe over an unpaid debt of Rs. 15 (30 Cents) in Uttar Pradesh state in India.
On Thursday, Bharat and Mamata were on their way to the fields where they worked as farm labourers when they were confronted by Ashok Mishra, the shopkeeper who they owed money for a pack of biscuits they had bought a few days ago, The Indian Express reported citing police sources.
The police officials have learned from eyewitnesses that during heated exchanges, the slain couple had told the shopkeeper that they would pay the money form their daily wage in the evening, however, Mishra was unrelenting. He attacked the couple with an axe, killing both Bharat and Mamata on the spot.
“While Mishra kept shouting for the money, the couple started walking towards the fields. Mishra then ran to his house nearby and returned with an axe. He hacked Bharat repeatedly and then attacked Mamta who was trying to rescue her husband. The couple died on the spot,” said a villager.
The police arrested Ashok Mishra and his wife Rajni from their home while a large crowd had gathered outside.
“The villagers have told us that the couple had bought something worth Rs. 15 from the shopkeeper and that led to the killings. We have sent the bodies for post-mortem and the accused has been arrested,” Pramod Chandra Gupta, District Magistrate of Mainpuri told NDTV.
Bharat and Mamata’s three sons aged 11, nine and eight, were in a state of shock and unable to speak. According to police officials the couple also had two married daughters.
The Uttar Pradesh state government has announced a compensation of Rs. 3.2 million ($64,000) for the orphaned sons of the couple.
