Court gives woman police protection from parents

The Delhi high court has directed the city police to provide “adequate” protection to a 21-year-old girl, who apprehends a threat to her life from her parents since she opposed their plan to marry her off against her wishes.

The Delhi high court has directed the city police to provide “adequate” protection to a 21-year-old girl, who apprehends a threat to her life from her parents since she opposed their plan to marry her off against her wishes.

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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 her father’s undertaking not to threaten or harass her.

“The State is directed to provide adequate protection to the petitioner (girl) by providing the telephone number of a police official 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 studies and employment for her marriage with an unemployed person against her wishes.

In the plea, she said, “Under parental 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 girl’s counsel told the court that after she opposed their plan, the parents started harassing her and stopped her from going to office.

They compelled the petitioner to agree to marriage. The marriage was to be solemnised within one month against the wishes of the petitioner.