In a shocking case of suspected honour killing, a Hindu man from Indian capital New Delhi was allegedly stabbed and beheaded in public because he was in love with a Muslim girl. Hundreds of people on a busy street reportedly witnessed the killing on Thursday (1 February) evening.

It is alleged that the girl's family members killed her boyfriend and police have arrested her father, uncle and mother.

Local media reports stated that the victim, identified as Ankit Saxena, was in a relationship with the unidentified 20-year-old woman for the past three years and the duo were soon planning to get married. However, the girl's family was against the relationship as they belonged to different religions.

On the day of the killing, the girl, whose identity has not been released, said she was going to meet her boyfriend to discuss their wedding plans. But she was informed that he has been stabbed to death.

"I was going to meet him and then someone told me he had been stabbed with a knife. We were going to marry. He called me and told me he wanted to marry me, so we were meeting," she was quoted as saying by NDTV.

The girl has now been sent to a shelter home after she expressed fears that she may be killed too or harmed by her family members if she went back home.

The girl's father and uncle reportedly kicked and punched the 23-year-old victim, who was a photographer by profession, before slitting his throat while the brothers of the girl held his arms.

When Ankit's mother rushed to save her son, she was also attacked by the girl's mother. "I tried to stop them, but the girl's mother pushed me to the footpath and kicked me on my chest.

"The family accused my son of abducting their daughter. I told them my son was innocent and that they could call the police to find out. I even asked them to search my house. They refused to listen and kept beating my son," the victim's mother, Kamlesh, who suffered a broken rib in the incident, was quoted as telling media persons.

All the three accused were sent to jail after being produced in a court, while the girl's brothers, aged 16 and 18, were sent to a correction home as they were underage. The names of the accused have not been disclosed to protect the identities of the two minors, The Times of India reported.