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CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana high court has asked Ludhiana police to protect a "male couple", who wants to live together. The "couple" has approached the high court, apprehending threat to their lives as parents of one of the partners consider their relationship as a "sin".

Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa of the HC passed these orders while hearing a petition filed by Sandeep K C and another, residents of Ludhiana district , who want to choose partners of their choice.

Justice Dhindsa has asked both the petitioners to approach the station house officer (SHO), Jamalpur police station, Ludhiana, who shall provide the security after examining the threat aspect.

"Without commenting on the relationship/liaison between the petitioners, the instant writ petition is disposed of in terms of granting liberty to the petitioners to approach the SHO, Jamalpur police station, Ludhiana confined to the aspect of danger that they apprehend to their life. In the eventuality of any such application being preferred, the SHO would be obligated to examine the same and thereafter take steps as he may deem fit," the HC observed.

The petitioners in this case - Sandeep KC, 24, resident of Jamalpur Awana and Bhupinder Singh, 29, a resident of Mundian Kalan of Ludhiana district - have claimed that they had known each other for the past many years and developed a liking for each other.

According to them, they kept their relationship a secret for a long time as they were afraid of their families and society.

"Recently, parents of Bhupinder Singh came to know about their relationship and they were totally against it. They considered their relationship as a sin. Bhupinder tried to convince them, but his efforts did not yield any fruitful results. They are receiving threats to their lives and liberty at the hands of Bhupinder's family," counsel for the petitioners told the HC.

Petitioners had also told the HC that they had not committed any offence in the eyes of law as they are major and are able to differentiate between right or wrong. While seeking directions to protect their life and liberty, the petitioners have also said they had grave apprehensions that the family of Bhupinder can go to any extent and may implicate them in a false case.

