ROHTAK: A sense of outrage has gripped the Kaboolpur village of Rohtak district where a teenaged girl in collusion with her lover allegedly murdered seven members of her family on September 14 following opposition to the couple’s affair because of their same ‘gotra’. A day after the couple’s arrest, the shocked relatives of the girl demanded that the two should be hanged.

The couple was produced in a local court in Rohtak, which sent them to three days in police remand. DSP, Rohtak, Dalbir Singh, told TOI that the police needed to interrogate them further. ‘‘We’ve recovered the rope used in the crime, some cash and valuables which were buried by the boy in the courtyard of his house.’’ The victims included girl’s father Surender (45), a guard in the forest department, mother Promila (40), grandmother Bhoora Devi, brother Arvind (15) and cousins Vishal (10), Sonika (12), Monica (14).

The local police, which claimed to have cracked the case, arrested Sonam (18) and her boyfriend Naveen Dagar (20) on Saturday. The police claim that it was Sonam, who along with Naveen eliminated seven members of her family. Sonam, too, had allegedly consumed sedatives and was found unconscious in her house.

Shock and anger was writ large on the faces of Sonam’s grandfather, Takdir Singh, uncles, Karambir and Bhupinder, as well her maternal grandfather. Demanding ‘severest punishment’ for the the couple, Karambir, who was initially the prime suspect, said: ‘‘The girl’s behaviour has crossed the limits of even a criminal mind. The duo should be hanged for their crime.’’

Hawa Singh, a village leader, said: ‘‘Their relationship was certainly objectionable, but what they had done in a bid to clear the way for their marriage is despicable. They should be shot publicly. It is unbelievable that a girl would kill seven of her close family members for her lover.’’

A police officer, who was instrumental in cracking the case, said that during interrogation, the couple had revealed that they had never talked to their respective parents about their affair.

"They felt threatened by the girl’s family as her parents were aware about their affair. Incidents of honour killings and diktats of khap panchayats — rampant in Haryana — must have affected their mind.’’