In a shocking incident, a 15-year-old Dalit boy from Nerul was killed on Tuesday night over a love affair with a 17-year old girl. The boy was allegedly beaten to death by the girl’s family members at Dharave village in Nerul.

The incident took place around 9.30pm. The police were informed by Nerul's DY Patil hospital where the victim was taken for treatment. According to the police, the boy died soon after he was admitted in the hospital due to severe head injuries.

On Wednesday, Nerul police arrested seven people after a case of murder was registered. Although the incident is believed to be an honour killing, the police have not confirmed it as such.

The police said that the boy was in a “good relationship” with the girl, but the latter's family was against it. The girl’s brothers had threatened the boy and his family a couple of times and this was reported to the police.

According to the police, the victim, a student of class 11, stayed at SBI colony in Nerul and the girl resides in Dharave village. They used to meet in private coaching classes.

Deputy commissioner of police (zone I) Prashant Khaire said, “The girl had reportedly sent her photograph to the victim’s mobile. However, her family got infuriated after they learnt about it. They then they threatened the boy with dire consequences if he did not stop talking to her.”

On Monday, the girl’s family members took the boy somewhere in an auto and later let him go with strict warnings.

Assistant commissioner of police Dhanraj Dayama said, “The boy’s family reported the incident to the police, but no case was registered as his father was not present that day. Meanwhile, the girl’s family also came to us with complaints against the victim and the matter was discussed in the presence of both the parties.”

On Tuesday, the victim’s father came to the police station. “Meanwhile, the girl’s brothers went in an auto to boy’s home and took him to the terrace of the building. They then threatened to throw him off and also broke his mobile phone,” added Dayama.

Then they asked the boy and his mother to come to their residence to apologise to their parents. “As they reached the girl’s residence, a group of people who were already there first abused them. Soon, they started attacking them. The victim suffered severe injuries on his head and other vital parts of his body,” Dayama said.

The boy's body was handed over to his family after a post mortem.

The arrested have been identified as the girl’s father Rajendra Naik, (50), her mother Malti Naik (43), two brothers Sagar (25) and Sajesh (21), Durgesh Patil (22), Asish Thakur (23) and Sameer Shaikh (23). The case has been transferred to the Navi Mumbai crime branch. They were produced before the judicial magistrate court on Wednesday afternoon remanded in police custody for five days.

The police have booked the accused under sections 302 (punishment for murder), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of Atrocity Act of SC and ST, 2016.

Meanwhile, two police sub-inspectors attached to Nerul police station have been suspended. According to senior police officials, Sonali Rajguru and Yogesh Mane did not pay heed to the complaint of the victim's family about the threat to the boy's life. The duo did not register an NC when the family approached them on Monday and also prevented them from meeting senior police inspector.