Delhi HC lifeline for Jammu couple

The Delhi High Court Saturday asked the city police to provide security to a Jammu and Kashmir couple, who are facing threats from their relatives for their inter-faith marriage.

Justice G S Sistani directed the Hauz Khas police station chief to provide protection to the couple and ensure that all steps are taken to ensure they are not removed from the territorial jurisdiction of the court.

On Friday, a trial court had also provided protection to the couple and asked the police to submit an action taken report on the first information report (FIR) lodged by them for alleged harassment by the girl’s family.

A Jammu and Kashmir police team arrived in the capital Wednesday to trace the couple - Muslim girl Anjum, 19, and Hindu boy Khemraj, 24. The police were investigating a case of kidnapping filed against the boy on a complaint by the girl’s parents March 21. Anjum’s parents traced her through her mobile phone calls and barged into a south Delhi hostel where they were staying and allegedly manhandled her. Khemraj belongs to Doda district while Anjum is from Nagrota. She was pursuing her second-year BSc and her father is a local official. The family, say  Jammu police sources, is related to a legislator in Jammu.  Khemraj, son of a retired army captain, was doing his master’s in commerce.