Lover's eyes 'gouged out'

The eyes of a youth who had gone to meet his lover were reportedly ''gouged out'' by the girl's family in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi town, about 125 kilometre from Lucknow.

According to the police sources in Lucknow, the youth, identified as Ashraf, a resident of Islam Nagar in the town, has been admitted to a hospital in the state capital, where his condition was stated to be critical.

Sources said that for the past one year, Ashraf had been having an affair with a girl, who hailed from a different community.

The couple had returned home after they eloped two months ago.

On Thursday night, the girl's family caught Ashraf when he jumped their house walls and entered the girl's room to meet her, police said.

He was thrashed and later one of the attackers reportedly gouged out his eyes with an iron rod.

Ashraf, who was bleeding profusely, was later dumped on the road.

Upon being informed by some passers by, the local police took him to the district hospital.

On Friday, after his condition worsened he was referred to a hospital in the state capital, police said.

Police officials in Hardoi said that a case was lodged against the members of the girl's family, who claimed that Ashraf had tried to ''rape'' the girl.

''We are investigating the matter,'' said a senior police official.