High court helps Muslim girl to live with her Hindu husband

MADURAI: Coming to the aid of a Muslim girl who alleged threats from her family members after she married a Hindu, Madras high court bench here directed them not to interfere in her life as she was a major. Disposing of a petition by 21-year old K Fathima seeking police protection, Justice K Venkataraman said the parents should not interfere and precipitate as the girl was a major.

The girl, an engineering student in Tirunelveli, was in love with her collegemate S Kannan and both got married at the famous Lord Muruga temple in Palani in Dindigul district on June 29 despite strong opposition from her family. She claimed to have received many threatening phone calls from her relatives and also from a fundamentalist organisation for having married a Hindu youth.

The judge had summoned the girl, her husband as well as her parents to know the facts. Fathima told the judge she feared that she might become a victim of honour killing and sought protection. When questioned by the Judge, her parents insisted on taking her back with them but budged as the girl was adamant on living with her husband, who filed an affidavit promising to register the marriage.

The Judge recorded the undertaking as well as the presence of a police official who stood witness to the entire episode and let the girl go with her husband. He also said the police could intervene only if any complaint was lodged by either of the parties making out a cognizable offence and not otherwise.

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