The Punjab and Haryana high court has rejected a plea for protection filed by a live-in couple allegedly facing threats from the girl’s family since their elopement, saying any such step could potentially “disturb the social fabric”.
“Petitioner No 1 (the girl) is barely 18 years old whereas petitioner No 2 (the boy) is 21 years old. They claim to be residing together in a live-in relationship and claim protection of their life and liberty from the girl’s relatives. In the considered view of this bench, if such protection is granted, the entire social fabric of society would get disturbed,” the single-judge bench of Justice Anil Kshetarpal said. Co-petitioner Ujjawal, a native of Patti Dhamtan Sahib in Haryana’s Jind, had said she feared her influential family might implicate her partner Manpreet, who is from Rasidan village in the same district, in false criminal cases.
While seeking protection for the couple, their counsel argued that the nature of their relationship made it even more important for the authorities to save them from any harm or harassment.
“Such type of relationship will certainly put an end to the demand for dowry,” the lawyer said.
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