Caste-based freedom to love becomes ambiguous in Telangana's Sircilla

Rajanna Sircilla: While the country celebrated yet another Independence day guaranteed to uphold our fundamental rights and intolerance to discrimination, a 22-year-old Dalit Myaka Anish is still fighting for the freedom to live with his wife from OBC caste.

Myaka Anish, a 22-year-old schedule caste from Namiligundipalli Village in Vemulawada Mandal of Rajanna Sircilla district married an OBC woman Gauthami,21 whom he was in love with on February 13. Gauthami's family members allegedly attacked Anish 's family and kidnapped his wife on March 1. He approached the local police station at Vemulawada, but the police station has not filed the FIR. Anish then approached the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vemulawada following which the police personnel filed FIR against the woman's family under various section of Kidnapping, trespassing and SC/ST Prevention of atrocities act.

"I met Gauthami last year, and we decided to get married. Her family didn't respect our decision. So we eloped and got married in Arya Samaj.Following the marriage, my family came to terms with us and we returned to my home, but Gauthami's family didn't accept our marriage. They came and thrashed me and my family, and kidnapped Gautami" Said Myaka Anish.

"It's been more than four months after the registration of the FIR but police haven't made any attempt to arrest the accused nor did they rescue his wife who was forcefully taken away from Anish. He and his siblings are living in constant fear of the accused. They are running pillar to post to get justice, while the police are not taking any action based on the FIR registered against the accused," said B Karthik Navayan, Lawyer of Anish.

Anish also filed a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission on July 2. NHRC on July 6, directed the concerned authorities to take appropriate action based on Anish's complain.

"The non-arrest of accused encourages them to commit further atrocities as such the accused has been threatening complainant with dire consequences, and there is a threat to the life of the wife of the complainant," said Karthik Navayan.

The lawyer also alleged that the accused is taking advantage of the silence from the police personnel and has been continuously threatening the complainant to withdraw the complaint repeatedly.

The lawyer of the Myaka Anish sent a legal notice to the Superintendent of Police and the district collector on July 6. Acting upon the notice, the district collector asked the Superintendent of Police to take necessary action in the matter and submit the report of further action.

"After the investigation, when the investigative officer enquired with the girl, she said that her parents came and she voluntarily went with her parents, she doesn't want to go back to Anish. We have recorded this statement. We have also asked the judicial magistrate to record the statement for her version, they have not given the date yet due to the lockdown, if she will say she has come voluntarily, then whatever Anish is saying will be declared false, but if she wants to go back, we will take further action and arrest the girl's family, she will be rescued from her parent's house," said Rahul Hegde, Superintendent of Police, Rajanna Sircilla District

"Police have approved their version. She was not alone while giving the statements and was surrounded by her parents. Her brother doesn't like the marriage, they forced the girl to say whatever they want. According to the SC/ST prevention act, police's priority should be to arrest her family first, which police failed to do," said B. Karthik Navayan