Akhir 07, 1432 H/March 12, 2011, SPA -- At least 10 villagers were burnt alive over a land dispute in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, dpa cited officials as saying Saturday. The killings came in a retaliatory attack after the head of a village council was shot dead in the Maharajganj district, some 350 kilometres north of state capital Lucknow. The family and supporters of the village head torched houses belonging to villagers accused of murder later on Friday, senior police official Brij Lal told reporters. The victims included five children and three women, police said. "The case over the property dispute was being heard by the court. Preliminary investigations show it was the dispute that was behind the killings and arson," Lal said. Police had arrested as many as 40 villagers in connection with the killings and had deployed a heavy police contingent to prevent further violence.
