Pratapgarh (Uttar Pradesh), The father and two uncles of a 23-year-old woman have been arrested in Pratapgarh for allegedly beating her to death in May last year.

The father and uncles claimed that the woman Preeti had gone missing.

The murder of Preeti Verma came to light during investigations when a trader known to her father was shot at and injured by a youth who reportedly was in love with the woman.

According to Pratapgarh Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Singh, Preeti's father, Raju Verma, and uncles, Jamuna Prasad Verma and Rajesh Verma, have been arrested on Wednesday on charges of murder and concealing evidence.

The family had not only performed the young woman's last rites in a clandestine manner on May 14, but also thrown her mobile phone into her pyre.

A day later, the accused trio, along with local trader Sarvesh Somvansi, had visited Antoo police station and lodged a missing case.

Investigations revealed that Preeti was in love with one Rahul Verma and had even married him at a temple.

Rahul Verma, the husband, told police that the couple had planned to legalize their wedding in court soon. 

However, one day, Preeti's father and uncles caught them talking. While Rahul managed to escape, Preeti was dragged back home and beaten so mercilessly that she died. Her family hastily performed her last rites at Singhani Ghat on the banks of Ganga.

The SP said the missing case had almost hit a dead end when two youths - Ajay Pasi and Pawan Saroj - were arrested in connection with the November 11 gun attack on trader Somvansi Pasi.

Ajay Pasi claimed that he loved Preeti and had attacked the trader because he suspected that he had a role in her disappearance.

He told the police that he had seen the trader accompany Preeti's family to Antoo police station to lodge the missing diary.

The trader was interrogated and he finally revealed the truth behind the entire incident.