Odisha Muslim Woman Runs From Pillar to Post After Marrying Hindu Boy

BALASORE (ODISHA): Like a Bollywood potboiler, this story of a Muslim woman and Hindu guy also has drama, action and romance but not a ‘happily ever after’ ending.

The love birds elsewhere in the country might be busy in celebrating the Valentine’s Day on Saturday, but this love struck woman Asma Bibi (23), a native of Sunadharabasana village in Odisha’s coastal Balasore district is running from pillar to post to get justice.

In what could be an interesting case of so called 'love jihad', Shaktikant Jena (21), a Hindu boy of the same village had tied knot with Asma after changing his religion six months ago, but the marriage did not last long as his family members refused to accept it citing the marriage in valid.

Sources said Shaktikant, an ITI pass-out trainee at a power distribution company fell in love with Asma, a mother of a four-year-old kid, three years back. Earlier Asma had married to a trader of Bilaspur and she was staying with mother at her native village after she was deserted by her husband.

Asma alleged that Shaktikant developed an affair with her with a promise to marry. Accordingly, the couple did Nikah (marriage as per Mohammadian law) on July 2, last year. “At the time of Nikah he changed his religion and renamed him as Mohammad Rizwan. Later on August 4 we got our marriage registered with a Notary court at Nilagiri,” she said.

Shaktikant was frequently visiting Asma after the Nikah and the couple also stayed a night at a hotel in Balasore on their marriage registration day. “Next day we reached at our native village. But instead of taking me to his home he dropped me at my parental house. As he assured to take me his home after discussing with his parents, I agreed,” she said.

But things did not move smoothly after his family members came to know about the development. After the news of the inter-religion marriage spread in the locality, his parents vehemently opposed it and refused to accept Asma. The boy too did not contact her since then. While he is absconding since August last, Asma is suffering from mental trauma and social stigma.

Following a written compliant local police though registered a case, but allegedly did not take any action and the boy managed to flee from the village. “His family members helped him to hide and police allowed him to flee. I also met the SP and Collector with my marriage photos and registration papers, but no action has been taken as yet,” Asma said.

In-charge Officer-In-Charge of Bhogarai police station R N Behera said the boy was absconding immediately after the case was registered and now he has obtained a bail from the High Court. “Though the charge-sheet has not been submitted, but we have sent an interim report to the court,” he added.

Meanwhile, this woman has sent a written complaint to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking justice. She has warned to sit on an indefinite dharna if the Government fails to take action against the accused and provide her justice within a fortnight.