Mohammad Galib and Asha Verma
Credit: Special Arrangement
Thiruvananthapuram: A couple from Jharkhand came down to Kerala to tie knot after reportedly facing 'love jihad' campaign at their native place.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday ordered protection to the two as they alleged that their relatives were lodging fake cases against them.
Thirty-year old Mohammad Galib and 27-year-old Asha Verma, both hailing from Ramgarh district, reached Kerala earlier this month. They got married as per Islamic rituals at a mosque in Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district on February 11 and later as per Hindu rituals on February 16.
"False allegations and cases were being registered against us, including that of kidnapping, at our place. So we decided to come down to Kerala and get married," the couple told reporters.
The two have been neighbors and friends since their childhood. Over the last several years they were in a relationship. Galib, who has been working as an engineer in UAE, came to know that Verma's family was fixing her marriage with another person. He swiftly came down, but faced resistance from Verma's family. Some community leaders tried to frame it as 'love jihad'.
"Galib had come down to Kerala earlier with some of his Malayali NRI friends. Hence he was aware of the communal harmony here and the couple decided to come here," said advocate Gaya S Latha who is providing legal support to her.