Greater Noida (UP): Defying a death
threat from a Khap Panchayat or self-styled caste council, a
couple on Saturday got married under police protection here.
The panchayat had barred Jaivinder, a resident of
Chithera village, from marrying Manisha of Bisnoli village
claiming their marriage will be against local societal norms.
Although the boy and the girl belong to different
gotras or subcastes, the panchayat ruled that as residents of
Chithera consider girls belonging to Bhatti gotra as their
sisters, Jaivinder could not marry Manisha who belongs to
Bhatti subcaste. Javinder belongs to Bainsla gotra.
The panchayat had threatened to kill them if they went
ahead with the marriage.
Jaivinder's wedding procession left Chithera under
police protection for Manisha's house where the marriage was
solemnised, police sources said.
On two occasions in the recent past, the panchayat
had forcibly cancelled the marriage of local boys with Bhatti
girls. But Jaivinder's family refused to follow the
panchayat's diktat.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 21:07