Lakhimpur Kheri, Mar 30 (IANS): The body of a 19-year-old youth has been recovered from a septic tank here in the house of his girlfriend. The boy was allegedly strangled to death by his girlfriend's father.

According to police, the youth, identified as Naseem Shah had gone missing on Monday night.

After searching for him, his father Ajmat Shah, a farmer from Fatehpur Majra village, contacted SHO Dhaurahra police station D.P. Shukla and voiced the apprehension that his son may have been abducted by the girl's family.

During initial investigation, police found that Naseem was last spotted with a girl in a village fair. The couple was in a relationship for nearly a year but the girl's family was opposed their relationship on religious grounds.

Additional SP Arun Kumar Singh said, "The youth was strangled to death with a piece of cloth. The body was stuffed in a sack and dumped in a septic tank. After questioning the girl's family, we found that Naseem was murdered by his girlfriend's father in a fit of rage after seeing them together at a village fair."

He further said that the main accused father is in custody while two others who helped in dumping the body are absconding.

"We have registered an FIR against girl's father and two relatives under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence). The body has been sent for post mortem."

Since the matter is related to two communities, a heavy deployment of forces has been made to prevent any fallout.