Gaya: A man and a teenager who had eloped were beaten mercilessly and burnt alive on Wednesday, allegedly on the orders of a village panchayat or council in Bihar’s Gaya.

The girl, 16, and her alleged lover, a 36-year-old man, were allegedly killed after a public hearing attended by hundreds of people, including the girl’s family, which is believed to have supported the sentence. Only one person has been arrested till now.

The police say an FIR or First Information Report has been filed against 15 people including the girl’s father. “As we investigate further, there will be more arrests”, said Shalin, a senior police officer.

The man was allegedly married, with three children, and used to come to the village frequently to visit his in-laws. That is how he had reportedly met the teenager.
 
The two allegedly ran away three days ago, but were hunted down by the girl’s family and brought back to the village on Wednesday morning. A panchayat hearing of village elders was called to decide on their punishment.

Villagers in large parts of rural India still follow the diktats of medieval-style village courts that defy laws.