Kolkata: A Muslim man and a Hindu woman from Nadia’s Nabadwip, who missed their wedding date after being allegedly confronted by religious fundamentalists accused of trying to outrage the woman’s modesty and assaulting her mother, has been granted police protection by Calcutta High Court.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya had on Oct 7 directed Nabadwip police to provide protection to the couple and their family members so they could complete the marriage formalities. During the Oct 7 hearing at the high court, the state counsel submitted that on being questioned by police, the registrar denied having been threatened by any organisation.
The judge then ordered, “I will direct the police authorities to provide protection to you and your family members.”
The mob tried to outrage the woman’s modesty, assaulted her mother, forced the family to sign on blank pages and threatened to burn down their home, according to the petition. Their counsel replied, “Yes, but first I need to safeguard our lives and the lives of our family members.” “Are you agreeable to marry? Justice Bhattacharyya asked the couple.
The couple met the registrar on Sept 14. Because of persistent threats from people in their locality, “At that meeting, they expressed their wish to marry elsewhere.
The registrar said he cancelled the marriage owing to the couple’s reluctance,” the state counsel informed the court. The couple’s counsel requested the court that they be allowed to marry in Kolkata. But Justice Bhattacharyya declined to interfere with the statutory rule, which requires a marriage to be solemnised by the registrar within whose jurisdiction the applicants live.