In what police suspect to be a case of honour killing, a 40-year-old father allegedly killed his 19-year-old daughter at Wakil Tol in Janakpur-2, Dhanusha, on February 20 because he did not take kindly to her alleged relationship with a boy, police said on Monday.

The parents of Sneha Kumari Yadav had fixed her marriage with a boy in Dhanusha district. But the marriage was called off after the boy’s relatives allegedly saw Sneha with her male friend in Kathmandu.

Police said Sneha’s father Dilip Kumar Yadav was angry at his daughter after the talks of her marriage fell through because she was seen with another boy.

Sneha was studying in grade 12 at the Kathmandu-based NASA International College. Her father, Dilip Kumar, had taken her to Janakpur in February.

Neighbours say upon their return the father and daughter used to have big fights almost regularly.

Police said some of the neighbours had heard a thud and scream during what appeared to be a regular quarrel between the father and daughter on February 20.

While Dilip Kumar has claimed that his daughter died of an unexpected illness, the neighbours say they saw no sign of ill health when they saw Sneha earlier that day.

“We were surprised when we saw Sneha’s parents and two unidentified men carrying her into a car on February 21. We were told that she was sick, but we doubt it,” a neighbour said.

Dhanusha police arrested Dilip Kumar on suspicion of killing Sneha on Saturday. Sneha’s mother, Sarita Devi, is at large.

Police suspect Sneha was murdered by her parents and she was taken to India on the pretext of treatment and cremated her body.

Dilip Kumar had telephoned at his home in Sahidnagar-2 to inform about Sneha’s death in India during treatment.

“We started our search for Dilip Kumar after locals informed us about the girl’s death. We arrested him from his in-laws house in Siraha,” said DSP Prawin Dhital. “There is a room for suspicion the way Dilip Kumar and Sarita Devi cremated their daughter without knowing the cause of her death and they way they chose to remain out of contact.”

Police have found bloodstains on the wall of the house where the family lived. The blood samples have been sent for lab test to confirm if it belonged to Sneha.