Hyderabad: A shocking incident has come to the fore wherein a 21-year-old man was attacked by his in-laws in bustling SR Nagar area of the city for marrying the woman of his choice.

The victim, identified as Imtiaz, was allegedly stabbed by his wife Fatima's father and relatives on Friday. He was taken to a private hospital for treatment, and his condition is said to be critical.

Speaking to ANI, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) A.R. Srinivas said that the couple was in love for the last few years and recently got married against the wishes of the girl's family.

On Friday, Fatima's father insisted to meet Imtiaz and his family, pretending to accept him as his son-in-law. "Believing this, Imtiaz met Fatima's family," Srinivas mentioned.

"After a while, Fatima's brothers Mehmood Ali and Ahmed Ali started attacking Imtiaz with a knife. When he tried to escape, he was dragged and brutally attacked on the road, after which the attackers fled the spot," the police official said.

The Hyderabad police has ruled out the possibility of the incident being an honour killing attempt. "But we are still investigating to establish facts," Srinivas added.