The family told police that the man had been insisting on marrying the 19-year-old, but the family had refused since they were blood relatives.(Representational)

A 25-year-old man allegedly strangulated his relative at a restaurant in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras after the family refused to allow him to marry her. Police said the 19-year-old victim was being pursued by her uncle, despite their family’s disapproval.

According to police, the woman and the man had entered the restaurant at around 3.30 pm. The hotel staff told police that after the man ordered food, he approached the waiter and said he will be back in “ten minutes”. The accused then walked out of the restaurant, police said.

“We received information that the body of a woman had been found in a restaurant within Kotwali Police Station jurisdiction. The hotel staff told us that the woman had been earlier spotted with a man who soon left. The woman was later found lying motionless next to the table. After she was identified, the family told us that she had gone for lunch with her relative, and they suspect him. A case has been filed for murder and investigation is pending,” said Hathras SP Gaurav Banswal.

The family told police that the man had been insisting on marrying the 19-year-old, but the family had refused since they were blood relatives.

While the post-mortem is being conducted, the police found marks on the woman’s neck suggesting a strangulation. The hotel staff is also being questioned and the CCTV footage will be examined.