Mangalore: Inter-caste Marriage Opposed by Family, Court Rules in Couple's Favour
Pic: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Jun 25: A man and a woman belonging to different religions, who got married without the consent of their parents, were on Monday June 25 allowed by the high court to stay together as man and wife.
The couple, identified as Konaje residents Rihana and Vincent, a driver, got married last year after five years of courtship. They had known each other for nearly eight years. After marriage, Rihana and Vincent stayed separately in their respective houses, but on May 18 last month, they eloped and started staying together in a house.
On May 19, Rihana's father Husainar lodged a complaint with Konaje police and also filed a habeas corpus petition in the high court, which was issued to the couple.
Rihana and Vincent appeared in the court on Monday, and were let free by the court. It is said that Rihana got converted to Christianity and Vincent's family is said to have made no objection.
The couple has claimed that they have been getting life threats from girl's family and relatives.
Rihana's father Husainar said that Rihana was in fact engaged to another man. "My family is poor, but despite the poverty I managed to arrange for finances and spent Rs 20,000 t0 Rs 30,000 on her engagement. If she had told me earlier, a lot of trouble would have been saved," he said.
He also claimed that two weeks before the engagement, she had said that Vincent used to call and trouble her. However, on being questioned, Rihana outrightly denied the claim.
Rihana is said to have asked for her father's forgiveness, but Husainar refused saying that his family is facing ridicule from people because of her action.