The Kerala High Court has directed state police to ensure protection for an interfaith couple from Jharkhand who fled to Kerala following threats from their families and allegations of ‘love jihad.’ The court also ordered that the couple must not be repatriated to Jharkhand while their plea is under consideration.
“The third respondent (station house officer at Kayamkulam) shall ensure that the petitioners are not repatriated to any other place during the pendency of the writ petition,” the court stated.
The couple, a 26-year-old Hindu woman and a 30-year-old Muslim man, hailing from Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district, arrived in Kerala’s Alappuzha on February 9, fearing for their lives. In Kayamkulam, they solemnized their marriage through both Hindu and Islamic rituals.
However, their troubles escalated when the Jharkhand police arrived in Kayamkulam with an FIR against the man, alleging that he had abducted the woman. She, however, informed the authorities that she had willingly chosen to be with him. Fearing further threats, the couple approached the Kerala High Court, seeking legal protection.
Advocate Gaya S Latha, representing the couple, stated, “The man is an engineer working in the UAE. He had visited Kerala before and knew that interfaith marriages did not face the same kind of hostility here. That’s why they decided to seek refuge in Kerala.”
As per their plans, the man will return to the UAE once his leave ends, while the woman, a graduate, will remain in Kayamkulam for the time being. The case has brought renewed focus on interfaith marriages and safety concerns for couples facing communal and familial opposition.
Case: Asha Verma & anr vs Director General of Police & ors – Available on LAWFYI.IO
