Greater Noida, March 19 (IANS) Gouge out the eyes of the couple who eloped and shoot them in front of everyone - these were the orders of a village council of Ghori Bachera here.

The panchayat gave these orders Tuesday after Javed and Sashista, who eloped from the village Feb 13 got married and returned, a source said Friday.

Javed, nephew of local Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mehndi Hasan, married divorcee Sashista and returned to the village Feb 24. They were living in Dadri.

The couple sought police protection after appearing in-person before Dadri Sub-Divisional Magistrate. 'When they returned along with policemen, the villagers pelted stones on them. A first information report (FIR) has been registered against 17 people,' a police officer said.

'The man and woman mutually consented to the marriage. They are now living in Dadri under protection,' Superintendent of Police (Greater Noida) S.K. Verma told IANS.