Allahabad HC directs Meerut SSP to ensure protection to Muslim woman who converted to Hinduism after marriage

Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Meerut police to provide necessary protection to a woman, who adopted Hindu religion, and her husband so that no harm comes to them. Justice JJ Munir passed the order while hearing a petition which said that they were threatened by the woman’s father. The court has directed the Meerut senior superintendent of police to provide the necessary protection to the couple. The petitioners’ counsel said that Kahkasha had changed her name to Yati after adopting the Hindu religion and was a major according to the birth date in her high school certificate. “She is 19 years old and also has married the second petitioner (her husband), also a major, according to her free will. She has also moved the requisite application to the district magistrate, Meerut, on 15 April, 2021, and got the necessary news items published in a newspaper regarding the change of her name and religion,” the petition said. They married according to Hindu rituals on 16 April at the Arya Samaj Mandir, Maliyana in Meerut and had applied for registration of their marriage before the Meerut registrar of marriages on the same day, it said. However, their marriage has not been registered till date, the counsel said. It was stated in the petition that the woman’s father, Jahid Ahmad, is annoyed with the marriage and has threatened the petitioners with death. The petitioners have reached out to the local police requesting them to save their lives, their counsel said. The court observed, “Looking at the facts and circumstances, let notice be served upon Jahid Ahmad through the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Meerut, and a report regarding service shall be placed on record by 23 June, 2021, as next date of hearing.” “Until further orders of this court, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Meerut is ordered to extend and provide necessary protection to the life and limb of the petitioners and ensure that no harm comes to them at the hands of respondent no. 4 (Jahid Ahmad), or any member of the Kahkasha’s family or her native community,” it said. It is further said that the senior superintendent of police shall also ensure that the local police do not interfere in the married life of the petitioners acting at the instance of the woman’s father, though it shall be their duty to see that no physical harm comes to the petitioners. The court ordered Ahmad not to enter the petitioners’ house, either himself or through his friends, agents, associates, or approach the petitioners through any electronic means of communication, or to cause the petitioners any bodily harm or injury, in any manner whatsoever.