Interfaith couple from Jharkhand who sought refuge in Kerala get High Court cover after police from their state land up with FIR

In Kerala, they married in accordance with both Ismlatic and Hindu rituals at Kayamkulam. In the meantime, police from Jharkhand reached Kayamkulam, armed with a case against the man of allegedly abducting the woman.

However, she informed the police that she had decided to live with him of her own free will. Still facing a threat from their families, the couple also decided to approach the High Court, seeking protection from the Jharkhand police.

On Thursday, the court directed the Kerala police to provide adequate protection to them. “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,” said the court.

Advocate Gaya S Latha, who is helping the couple, said, “The man is an engineer currently employed in the UAE, where he made several friends from Kerala. He knows that there is no communal divide in Kerala over interfaith marriages. He also visited Kayamkulam for a wedding once. Hence, they decided to move here after facing a threat in Jharkhand. Their relationship, which began a decade back, had divided the communities as snowballed into love jihad allegations.”

Once his leave is over, the man will return to the UAE, while the woman, a graduate, will continue to live in Kayamkulam for the time being.