LUCKNOW (AFP) - A 14-year-old low-caste "untouchable" was strangled in northern India because he shared his first name with a higher-caste youth, police said on Saturday. Neeraj Kumar, was allegedly kidnapped and strangled by a group of boys led by 23-year-old Neeraj Chaudhary, whose family resented the idea of the low-caste boy having the same first name, police said. The victim's family are Dalits -- or "untouchables" as they used to be known -- who occupy the lowest rung in India's rigid caste hierarchy. Most live in poverty and do menial, supposedly "unclean" jobs like collecting garbage. The victims father, Ram Sumer, a vegetable seller, said when his son was admitted to primary school, the alleged killer's father "called me to advise me to change my sons name because it was the same as his sons". Sumer said he told the father, an affluent landlord, it was too late to change the name because it had been entered in school records. "He warned me with dire consequences," Sumer told local media. The higher-caste family was further incensed when Sumer named another son Dheeraj, the same as Chaudhary's other boy. "So many names are common to so many people but Chaudhary disliked the idea because I belong to the lowest caste," Sumer said. The victim was found dead in a forest near Raghupur village, some 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Uttar Pradesh state capital Lucknow. Brij Lal, police chief of Indias most populous state, said the victim was killed over "caste discrimination" last month but the murder only came to light a few days ago. Local police superintendent, V.K. Singh, alleged Chaudharys sons "nurtured the same hatred as their father and that apparently led them to strangle Neeraj". Singh said two friends of the Chaudhary family had been arrested and police were searching for the two sons. "We are confident we will get them soon," he said. Chaudhary has denied his family is responsible for the crime and has accused police of framing his sons. Caste discrimination is illegal in India but many low-caste and tribal groups are still marginalised in society, especially outside the major cities.