Gujarat: Lesbian police couple knocks HC seeking safety from family

A lesbian police couple has knocked on Gujarat High Court's door seeking protection for their lives from none other than their own family members. The couple had to move court after local police stations didn't respond to written representations made by them seeking the safety of their lives.

To their relief, the high court passed an order directing the police head of the district to ensure their safety.

According to the petition, the lesbian couple is living together in Mahisagar district in central Gujarat for nearly three years and are in "love." They are posted at the same police station and live together in the police quarters. On July 10, they also executed a live-in relationship agreement "on their own will and volition without any threat or pressure,” read the petition.

However, due to same-sex relationship, the petition states, "their family members have refused their relationship and want them back home. The petition says that “both the petitioners are of same-sex, and therefore, their relationship is not acceptable to the society and their family and communities, thus, they are facing threats from their own family members…”

The petitioners' lawyer Panthil Majumdar said that "since they live in a police line, there is no issue of their safety as of now. And, since the court has ordered the district superintendent of police to look into it, we believe that arrangements will be made soon."

Last week, justice A J Desai passed an order on Thursday stating, "District Superintendent of Police, Lunawada, District Mahisagar is hereby directed to look into the matter and shall take immediate steps and if required, the petitioners shall be provided with the police protection."