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New Delhi: The story is reminiscent of the warring families of Montagues and Capulets of Shakespear's tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet. Only this time the setting is in poll-bound Karnataka, with the star-crossed lovers' families belonging to rival political parties. The girl's father is from the Bharatiya Janata Party and was a former minister. And the boy is a worker of the Congress party, and also happens to belong to a different caste. Notably, the couple had approached the Supreme Court to unite them, though, the apex court on Wednesday refused to pass an order for the same. However, the top court has directed police to provide protection to the couple. Fearing for their safety, the couple have requested for their identities to remain a secret.

The 26-year-old girl, who is an engineer by profession, told the court that her father had forced her to get married to someone else as he did not approve of her relationship with the boy. The marriage was solemnised a few weeks ago in the district of Gulbarga in the state, NDTV reported. Unhappy with her father's move, the girl reportedly ran away and came to Delhi to urge the Supreme Court to annul her marriage.However, the apex court refused to do so though they did ask the Karnataka police to provide security to the lovers.

The couple, who are being represented by noted lawyer Indira Jaisingh, have been asked by the top court to give their statements to the Additional Solicitor General of Karnataka on the threats they face as they have alleged that the woman's father and brother have threatened them. The Supreme Court has listed the next hearing on the matter for next month.

In March, the Supreme Court had directed that it would not interfere in an adult's decision on whom to marry while hearing the Hadiya 'love jihad' case. Hadiya, alias Akhila Ashokan, is a Hindu woman who had converted to Islam after marrying Shafin Jahan in Kerala. Her father, however, opposed the marriage and move the Kerala High Court claiming that Jahan had links with terror organisations and that this was a case of 'love jihad' - where terror groups purportedly recruit Hindu women through marriage. The High Court initially annuled the marriage and ordered Hadiya to stay with her parents. Following this, the matter reached the Supreme Court which overturned the Kerala High Court's order annulling the matter. The top court, however, allowed the National Investigation Agency to continue its probe into the alleged terror links of Jahan.

