Father-in-law arrested for rape

Police in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested a man accused of raping his daughter-in-law.

The arrest follows reports that a Muslim council of community elders had ordered the victim to marry her father-in-law.

But the order was criticised by a top Muslim body which said it was not valid under Sharia (Islamic) law.

It said the council was not authorised to give such a verdict and added that the alleged rapist should be punished.

Senior superintendent of police in the town of Chatarwal, where the incident took place, told The Indian Express newspaper that the alleged rapist was being questioned.

The 28-year-old victim is said to have been raped when she was alone at home.

Under the Sharia law... if her father-in-law has raped her, he should be sentenced to death Zafarab Geelani

When the incident came to the notice of the council, it ordered that she marry her father-in-law and change her relationship with her husband to that between a mother and son.

It also ordered her to leave her home and stay away for seven month and 10 days to become "pure".

Women's group

India's National Commission of Women has also asked for a report from the government in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the incident took place.

"We have requested the government to take action against the guilty and also pay compensation to the victim," NCW president Girija Vyas told the BBC.

A representative of a top Muslim body in India, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said the case should be dealt under Islamic law.

"Under the Sharia law, whatever happened with the victim is wrong and if her father-in-law has raped her, he should be sentenced to death," the representative, Zafarab Geelani, said.