Panchayat separates 10-day-old from parents

A 10-day-old infant has been separated from its parents by a Panchayat, who took the child into its custody and allegedly ordered the couple to live separately after annulling their marriage.

A 10-day-old infant has been separated from its parents by a ‘biradari panchayat’ here, who took the child into its custody and allegedly ordered the couple to live separately after annulling their marriage, alleging that both belonged to the same “gotra” (family lineage).

HT Image

The panchayat of Oindh village in Nissing area of the district annulled their marriage on August 29 and ordered the couple, Pawan and Kavita, to live as brother and sister as their “gotra” was the same.

“Their marriage was illegal and against social norms, and hence, the panchayat has ordered them to live separately

and also took into its possession their 10-day-old child,” panchayat head Rajesh Kumar told reporters.

Kavita was forced to tie a ‘rakhi’ on Pawan’s wrist, while his family was fined Rs 60,000 for violating social norms and traditions, Kumar said, adding that the money would be used for the child’s upbringing.

Sources said Pawan and Kavita had fallen in love and got married secretly about two years ago.

This irked the Balmiki community in the village and it refused to recognise the child born out of the “same gotra wedlock”.