The woman’s Kin opposed her inter-religion marriage. The woman’s Kin opposed her inter-religion marriage.

Stepping in to protect the liberty of an inter-religion married couple, a Delhi court on Thursday ordered police to trace a 19-year-old woman who was abducted in broad daylight by her relatives from inside a court complex where they had turned up to seek refuge.

The woman, a Muslim who converted to get married to a Hindu man, is pregnant and had come to the court to make sure her parents do not harm them.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Savitri, while expressing grave concern that the woman may become a victim of honour killing, directed police to step up efforts to trace her and ensure safety of the couple at all cost.

There were frenzied scenes at the Karkardooma court complex on Thursday afternoon when a group of men and women were seen shoving and pushing the woman, who was ultimately dragged away, while her husband ran around for help.

The couple had first approached the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Savitri on Wednesday with a request to record their statements that they had married with consent and that the woman’s family should be directed to stay away and not threaten them.

Her family is more affluent than her husband’s family and were opposed to her marriage to a Hindu.

The couple, who lived in the same colony and had been in love with each other since childhood, had moved an application, requesting the court to accord police protection to them — particularly in view of the fact that her family had got an FIR registered against the man for allegedly kidnapping her.

Accordingly, the magistrate had issued notice to the investigating officer, and asked them to come prepared on Thursday to record their statements.

The couple said they would produce all the relevant documents to show they were major and that they had married in an Arya Samaj temple in December after the woman had converted.

But when they entered the court complex on Thursday, family members of the woman ran towards her and took her away forcibly from inside the premises.

“It all happened in a flash and we were left shell-shocked. Before we could run away or raise alarm, they caught hold of my wife and started beating her. Her parents watched all this from a distance as her other kin beat her. I called up the Police Control Room (PCR) too,” the 21-year-old youth told The Indian Express.

He then rushed to the court and narrated the tale to the magistrate. Shocked over what had happened right inside the court complex, the magistrate expressed her anguish over policing.

She also regretted that the couple had come to the court in quest of safety, but they, in fact, found themselves in harm’s way because of their step.

The magistrate then directed the police station concerned to register an FIR immediately and trace the woman, besides granting police protection to her husband.

The court ordered the deputy commissioner of police concerned to “look into the matter and ensure the safety and well-being of the couple”.

The youth said: “There is no news of her till now. All I want is my wife back. She is pregnant and I am worried about my wife and our child. I appeal to her family not to harm her.”

When contacted, police officers at Farsh Bazar police station could not confirm whether an FIR had been lodged. The Station House Officer could not be contacted.

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