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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted police protection to a same-sex interfaith couple who claimed that they were being threatened by a member of one partner's family.

According to a report in The Indian Express, a single judge bench of Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar passed the order after advocate Arundhati Katju argued that the petitioners are a same-sex couple consisting of a Hindu woman and a Muslim woman.

"Both are majors. They want to stay together and therefore seek police protection as well as protection for the family members of one of the partners," Katju stated, adding that the couple resided in a municipal shelter.

The couple had approached the present court through the Legal Services Committee of the Delhi High Court.

Through the plea, the couple sought police protection from the family of the Hindu partner (petitioner 1). Further, the plea also sought protection for the family of Muslim partner (petitioner 2) as well.

Justice Bhatnagar ordered the Delhi Police to provide the couple with the contact information for the involved beat constables and SHO.

"In the event of an emergency, they may call the two numbers, and their calls will be promptly answered," the court ordered.

In the event of a change of address, the petitioners must notify the concerned SHO, who will then notify the SHO in whose jurisdiction the petitioners will be occupying the rental accommodation, the court added.

The petition alleged physical and mental violence against the couple and family members of petitioner 2, as well as an attempt to "force" petitioner 1 to "marry another man against her will."

The couple contended that petitioner 1 was transferred to a different location to separate them.

Further, the plea alleged that petitioner 1 was threatened that her partner and her family will be killed/harmed if their relationship persisted.

The petition alleged that family members of the first petitioner had accused the second petitioner of religious conversion and prostitution while objecting to their relationship.

According to the petition, petitioner 1 was placed in a shelter home through the intervention of the Delhi Commission for Women, and both petitioners were currently residing in shelter homes.

Thus, at present the couple is residing at a shelter home in Delhi.