Bhopal, Nov 7 (IANS): In a case of honour killing, a 23-year-old man was murdered by the family members of his wife allegedly for marrying her without their consent in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, police said.

The incident took place on Sunday when the victim, who was living in Gujarat, had come to his village in Madhya Pradesh to celebrate Diwali.

According to the Shivpuri district police, the victim, who has been identified as Dheeru Jathav was killed by the family members of his wife Chhaya Jatav, both of whom hail from the same village and community. The couple had a court marriage without the consent of the woman's family in 2020.

Fearing that they may face trouble from the woman's family, the couple had shifted to Ahmedabad soon after getting married in a district court.

Dheeru along with his wife had come to his village to celebrate Diwali after two years, and on Sunday, he was spotted by his in-laws.

"They cornered and killed him using an axe. The accused hit the axe on his neck and he died on the spot. A police team rushed to the spot soon. The body was taken for post-mortem and a case under section 302 of the IPC was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the victim's family," said a police officer in Shivpuri district, investigating the case.

The police said that as many as seven people have been accused in the case, including the father-in-law of the victim. One of the accused has been arrested while search for the remaining was underway.

The police also added that the houses of the accused will be bulldozed.