In a suspected case of honour killing, a 21-year-old Delhi University student was strangled by her parents, who later allegedly set her body on fire, just three days after her marriage to her friend against their wishes. The accused were arrested on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody by a Delhi court.

"The accused have been charged with murder, but we are investigating if it is a case of honour killing," a senior police official said.

Bhavna Yadav was allegedly killed on the intervening night of November 15-16 by her father Jagmohan Yadav and mother Savitri Yadav at her house in south-west Delhi's Dwarka North. After killing their daughter, the parents took her body to their village in Alwar, Rajasthan, where they set it on fire, police said.

According to DCP south west district, Suman Goyal, Bhavna's husband informed the police. Bhavna had married 24-year-old Abhishekh Seth on November 12 against the wishes of her family members. Police said they began probing the case after Abhishek, an assistant programmer in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, made a written complaint on November 16 at Dwarka North police station. In his complaint, Abhishek had expressed suspicion of a foul play as Bhavna did not contact him after their marriage.

Police contacted victim's parents at their village in Alwar and took them in custody when they failed to give information about their daughter. "While questioning they broke down and admitted that they had strangled their daughter at their Delhi home," said the officer. The parents told the police that they called her back to their home when she informed them on November 12 about her marriage.

The victim was a Sanskrit honours student of Venkateswara College. (indiatoday)