Lekha G
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court by a single-judge Bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey has issued directions through Director General of Police J&K to provide protection to a couple who were allegedly receiving death threats from the woman’s family members after the woman embraced Islam and married a Muslim man.
The Court said, “In order to ensure protection to the life of petitioners in peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, it has become necessary to direct official respondents to ensure that the petitioners are not harassed, kidnapped, attacked or caused any harm by the private respondents or by anyone at their instance and they shall be allowed to live their married life the way they like and protect their rights in terms of the guarantee as enshrined by the Constitution of India.”
The plea filed by the woman stated that she had embraced Islam on her own accord on February 12, 2021 adopting a Muslim name Khadeeja and further argued that they had approached the police in the matter but to no avail.
The Petitioners Counsel also placed reliance on the Supreme Court’s case Latta Singh v. State of UP which had passed directions to all States/Union Territories by the Apex Court to ensure protection from harassment to a couple of inter-caste or inter-religious marriages.
The Court further ordered the SHO of Police Station Satwari, Jammu to refrain from taking any persistent steps against the petitioners in execution of any case filed against them by the woman’s family members.
The Court listed the matter for further hearing on May 28, 2021.