Arrests over India caste deaths

By Ramdutt Tripathi in Lucknow

Police in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested four upper caste Hindus, accused of killing members of a low caste family.

The murders took place in Hardoi district, about 110 km west of the state capital Lucknow.

The district magistrate of Hardoi, AK Chaturvedi, says the main suspect in the murder case is a police constable, Ram Nath Singh.

Mr Singh is said to have been enraged by his daughter's marriage to a man from a low caste (dalit) family.

Mr Singh, along with other members of his family, attacked his son-in-law's house on Sunday night shooting four members of the family, including the man's father.

Police say investigations into the case are continuing.

Uproar

The incident was raised in the state assembly by the dalit-dominated Bahujan Samaj Party.

Party members disrupted proceedings for several hours demanding firm action be taken against the killers.

Such incidents of caste violence as a result of inter-caste marriages are not unusual in India.

Observers say this latest incident shows just how deep caste divisions run in some areas.