Police cover to continue for inter-caste Mumbai city couple: Court

MUMBAI: Bombay high court on Saturday said its order granting police protection to a young couple who faced violence and death threats following their inter-caste marriage will continue until further orders.
The clarification by a vacation bench of Justices Shahrukh Kathawalla and Madhav Jamdar, was on a petition by the couple from Mumbai who hail from Chaubari village, Bachao taluka, Gujarat.On the pretext of placating her family, the 22-year-old woman was taken to Chaubari and forcibly “married” to another who assaulted and tortured her. She escaped to Mumbai.
The judges were informed by prosecutor Prajakta Shinde that six persons, including her second “husband”, his brother, the woman’s father, her brother, the village sarpanch and the community head, were arrested immediately after lodging of an FIR on Thursday. On Friday, they were remanded to police custody till November 17.
Advocate Deepa Chawan for the couple referred to the FIR lodged against the woman at Bachao police station at the instance of the second husband. The judges then said their November 5 order granting police protection also refers to that FIR. “The order passed by this court shall continue until further orders,” said Justice Kathawalla.
The judges posted the hearing before the regular court on November 25.