Girl rejects groom, HC orders police protection from family

The Delhi High Court has directed city police to provide “adequate” protection to a 21-year-old girl who apprehends threat to her life from parents as she opposed their plan to marry her against her wishes.

Allowing the plea of the girl, a resident of Mandawali area in east Delhi who works in a private firm, Justice V P Vaish accepted the undertaking given by the girl’s father not to threaten or harass her.

“The state is directed to provide adequate protection to the girl by providing telephone number of a police officer so that she can make a call , if needed,” Justice Vaish said.
Appearing for the girl counsel Rajesh Gogna and Manoj Pandey told the court that the girl was compelled to discontinue her study and employment for her marriage with an unemployed person against her wishes and desire.

In the plea, she said, “Under the parents’ pressure, the petitioner initially agreed to the marriage but after meeting the proposed bridegroom, she had to change her decision as the boy was semi-literate and unemployed. The proposed groom was dependent on his parents for day to day expenses and it was extremely difficult for the girl to continue her study and employment after getting married with the proposed bridegroom,” the plea also said.

The girl’s counsel told the court that after she opposed their plan, the parents started harassing her and stopped her from going to the office. They also compelled the petitioner to consent to marriage. The marriage was to be solemnised within one month against the wishes and desire of the petitioner, her plea said.

“As the petitioner was not at all willing for the marriage, it became impossible for her to continue to live with her parents and under these compelling circumstances, the petitioner took a very drastic decision of leaving her home,” the plea said.

The girl’s lawyer told the court that the girl wanted to stay in PG accommodation to pursue her career.

Urging the court to direct police to provide protection to the girl, the counsel submitted that the petitioner apprehended threat to her life from her father.

Pawan Sharma, standing counsel for the state told the court that the, “The state will provide adequate police protection to the petitioner and will also provide the telephone number of a police officer to her so that she can make a call immediately in case of emergency.”