A young Indian couple who were members of the untouchable caste were stabbed to death by the girl's relatives despite police being ordered to protect them,

Sandeep Rani, 24, and his wife Khushboo, 22, had known that their lives were at risk after getting married without permission so asked police for protection, but they declined.

Mr Rani's family then went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court where a judge ordered police to provide the couple with security.

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Sandeep Rani and his wife Khushboo were killed by her relatives who disapproved of their marriage, despite police being ordered to provide them with protection

But Mr Rani's mother, Udham Kaur, said when the couple then went back to the police to seek protection they 'refused to honour the court order'.

After returning to their village in Hoshiarpur district the couple continued to receive death threats, so they went to stay with friends.

When they later briefly returned to their home in Mugowal village, some 77 miles from the Punjabi capital of Chandigarh, the couple were attacked and killed by five masked men carrying swords and knives.

Mr Rani's family said their son was targeted first, and when his father, Parkash, tried to protect him he was also stabbed. He is currently in intensive care.

After killing Mr Rani the attackers then critically injured Khushboo. She was still alive when an ambulance arrived, but died a short time later.

Police said despite the fact that the couple had applied and successfully won a High Court order for police protection, they had then decided that they didn't need it

The couple, who were neighbours, had eloped and got married about three months before they were killed, against the wishes of Khushboo's family.

Ms Kaur told police that the mask of one assailant came off during the attacks. She claimed to have recognised the attacker as being Khushboo's father, Sodhi Ram.

Hoshiarpur district police chief Rajjit Singh Hundal said the matter was being investigated, but denied the police were at fault.

He said that despite the fact couple had applied for a High Court order for police protection, they had then decided that they didn't need it.

Mr Hundal said the couple had then travelled home without notifying officers.