UP: Woman sells 71 Sheeps to hubby, gets back lover

Although the panchayats in Uttar Pradesh are infamous for their bizarre decisions, when it comes to settling domestic, especially marital discords, this panchayat in the state's Gorakhpur district did something hitherto unheard of.

The panchayat allowed a married woman to live with her lover after the latter agreed to give 71 sheep to her husband. The incident was reported from Bailo village in Gorakhpur district, about 300 kilometres from here.

According to the reports, the woman had eloped with her lover last month after which her husband had lodged a report with the police. The couple, however, reached Khorabar police station, where the woman told the cops that she would not go back to her husband.

A panchayat was convened to discuss the matter a few days ago. It was decided that the two could stay together if the man gave half the number of sheep he owned to the woman's husband.

The lover readily agreed and gave 71 sheep to the woman's husband and the two started living together happily.

The story had a new twist when father of the lover Ram Naresh approached the cops on Friday and complained that the woman's husband had ''stolen'' his 71 sheep.

When told that the sheep were given to the woman's husband by his son, Ram Naresh said that he was the owner of the herd and that his son did not have the right to give them to anyone.

The lover said that being his son, he too had a right in the property and therefore he owned at least half of the herd.

The local police found itself in a quandary.

"We have no idea how to resolve the issue. We will seek instructions from the senior officials before taking any action in the matter,'' said a police officer at Khorabar police station.