KOCHI: Sumayya Sherin and Afeefa C S fell in love when they were classmates in 12th standard. Hailing from orthodox Muslim families in Malappuram, their relationship continued even after they attained the age of majority.
In January this year, the lesbian couple started living together in Ernakulam, following an order of the Malappuram Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court. But their peaceful life was shattered when, in May, Afeefa was allegedly abducted by her relatives. Since then, Sumayya has been running from pillar to post to get her partner back.
Finally, she approached the Kerala High Court with a habeas corpus petition. On Friday, the counsel for Afeefa’s relatives stated that they will produce her before the court on June 19.
Citing a 2018 order of a division bench of the Kerala High Court, Sumayya said that persons of the same gender are entitled to a live-in relationship. “I want my partner back,” she said.
The petition said that after Afeefa’s mother came to know about their relationship in January, the two families started employing coercive measures to separate them. They were regularly manhandled and Afeefa was even subjected to conversion therapy by her relatives, who are politically connected.
Unable to bear the mental and physical ordeal, Sumayya and Afeefa eloped on January 27. A complaint was filed by Afeefa’s family and Kondotty police registered a man-missing case. The duo were summoned before Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, which allowed them to live together. In May, they shifted to Ernakulam and found a job in a cafe in Kolanchery. They even rented a house.
‘There is a threat to Afeefa’s life’
Soon after, the relatives of Afeefa came to know about their whereabouts. On May 30, they allegedly arrived with their henchmen, forced their way into the shop where the couple worked and abducted Afeefa. I have not had any information about her since, said Sumayya.
Though complaints were filed with the state police chief and station house officers of Puthencruz and Kondotty, no steps were taken to trace Afeefa, she said. “Afeefa is ready to come back. She has been mentally and physically tortured and even admitted to a mental institution,” said Sumayya.
Sumayya added that there is a threat to the life of her partner. She could be subjected to conversion therapy and moved out of the country against her will, Sumayya added.