Couple stoned to death 4 years after inter-caste marriage in

In an apparent case of honour killing, a Dalit man and his wife, who married against wishes of the woman's family, were allegedly stoned to death when they returned to their village in Gadag district in Karnataka, four years after fleeing it, police said on Thursday.

According to police, Ramesh Madar and Gangamma had married Gangamma, belonging to the Lambani community, disregarding the opposition from her family members four years ago.

Fearing backlash from the family, they had fled their village Lakkalakatti near Gajendragad town and migrated to various places in Karnataka and worked as labourers.

On Wednesday they returned to their village. Spotting them on a road, some people from the Lambani community attacked the couple and later stoned them to death, police said.

"Our investigations are on. There's a progress in the case, which we cannot disclose at this point," said a police officer at the Gajendragad police station.

The couple had two children.