Yoga guru Ramdev has demanded public hanging of the killers of a 21-year-old woman outside her college in Haryana's Ballabgarh, terming the murder as a case of "love jihad". The killings in the name of "love jihad" in different parts of the country are "shameful and a blot on the name of India", he said. "Public hanging of the accused alone can prevent reiteration of such crimes," the yoga guru told reporters here after a religious function held at the Patanjali Yogpeeth on Thursday.

Nikita Tomar was murdered in broad daylight outside her college in Ballabgarh on October 26. A special investigation team has been formed to ensure a quick probe into the case. The main accused Tausif, hailing from Sohna in Gurgaon, and his accomplice Rehan, who is from Nuh, have been arrested.

Ramdev also demanded formulation of stringent laws against what he called love jihad and dealing sternly with perpetrators of crimes against women in the name of it.He also advised Islamic clerics to oppose "love jihad" to put brakes on such crimes. The woman's father had alleged that the main accused Tausif had been harassing her for the last two years and pressing her for marriage, which she refused.

He had also claimed that Tausif was trying to convert Nikita.