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Kerala lesbian couple, separated by parents, reunited by high court
Adhila Nassrin and Fathima Noora had met during their student days in Saudi Arabia and later, they decided to live together, according to the petition filed in the court. But the relatives objected to the relationship.
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday allowed Adhila Nassrin and Fathima Noora, a lesbian couple, to live together on a habeas corpus plea. A division bench of justices K Vinod Chandran and C Jayachandran allowed a habeas corpus petition moved by Adhila.
In the plea, Adhila (22) said her partner Fathima (23) was allegedly abducted by her relatives last week. She also filed a police complaint earlier regarding the incident, news agency ANI reported.
The couple had met during their student days in Saudi Arabia and later, they decided to live together, according to the petition filed in the court. But the relatives objected to the relationship.
"On May 19, I reached Kozhikode and met Fathima. For some days, we lived at a shelter home in Kozhikode, but the police intervened when relatives traced them at the place," Adhila said in the petition.
Adhila alleged that her relatives took the couple to Aluva from Kozhikode and after a few days, Fathima's relatives arrived in Aluva and took her by force to Kozhikode.
The couple lived in Kozhikode with the support of Vanaja Collective, a Kozhikode-based NGO.
Adhila recently took to social media to draw attention to her same-sex relationship with Fathima. She alleged that not only has her friend's family taken her away by force, but the police have not done anything to bring her back. However, a senior officer of Aluva police said the law enforcers had intervened in the matter right from the start and that the other woman - Kozhikode native - had given in writing that she was leaving with her parents willingly.
The court during the previous hearing had ordered the respondents to ensure Fathima's personal appearance before it on Tuesday, The Bar and Bench reported. When the case was taken up, Fathima who was present before the bench, expressed her desire to go with Adhila.
