DHAKA: An Indian woman has said that she and her 14-year-old cousin were gang raped and two relatives murdered, after being accused of being Muslims who ate beef.

The woman, 20, told the BBC that four men carried out the attack in northern Haryana state two weeks ago. She denied consuming beef.

She said the men beat her uncle and aunt to death in their home in Mewat, reports the BBC.

Many Hindus consider cows sacred and the slaughter of the animal is banned in several states, including Haryana.

The suspects have been arrested and charged with rape and murder.

However, police have told reporters that there is no evidence to suggest that cow protection groups were involved in the attack.

Although the alleged rape took place two weeks ago, news of the incident has only just come out.

“They [the accused men] said that we ate cow meat and that is why we were being disgraced [raped]. They even threatened to kill me and my family if we ever told anybody what happened to us,” the woman told BBC Urdu.

Muslim-dominated Mewat district, 100km (62 miles) from the capital Delhi, recently made headlines after a senior official told reporters that police would check dishes of mutton biryani to ensure they did not contain beef.

BDST: 1955 HRS, SEP 12, 2016
BD