A teenage couple was paraded in a village in neighboring Basti district with a garland of shoes around their necks and faces blackened for apparently having an affair, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place under the Gaur police station area of Basti on Tuesday, they added.

A case was registered against 13 people under various sections of the law, including the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, based on a complaint lodged by the boy's mother, the police said. "It is an unfortunate incident. The couple belongs to the same community," Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Dipendra Chowdhary said.

A search has been launched to nab the culprits, the ASP said, adding that no one found involved in the incident will be spared.