NEW DELHI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A couple from Dalit community was axed to death by an upper-caste grocery shop owner over non-payment of 22 cents (INR 15) debt in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, police said Friday.
The killings took place in Mainpuri district, about 294 km west of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
"A couple belonging to lower caste Dalit community was killed yesterday here by a shopkeeper over a debt of rupees 15 (15 cents)," a police official said.
"We were told the couple had few days back purchased three biscuit packets from the shopkeeper for their children on credit."
Police has arrested the grocer and initiated investigations into the murders.
The killings have created panic and triggered protests from Dalit community in the district.
Local media reports said the couple (working as agricultural labourers) had sought few days time from the grocer to repay their debt. However, enraged grocer brought axe from his house and hacked the couple to death.
Dalits were previously known as untouchables in India and fall at the bottom of India's caste hierarchy.
Earlier this month, four Dalit men believed to be tannery workers were assaulted by the cow vigilantes while they were trying to skin a dead cow in Una town of Gujarat state. The attack triggered massive protests after video of these men went viral, showing them stripped, tied to a vehicle and being flogged with iron rods while being paraded.
Majority of Hindus consider cow to be sacred, and its slaughtering is banned in most Indian states.
