Woman approaches court for protection from parents

Mumbai: A 19-year-old woman has filed a petition in the Bombay high court, seeking protection from the court.

She has alleged that she is dating a lower-caste boy and her parents are opposing the said relationship and have threatened her of dire consequences.

The petition has been filed in the high court through her counsel, Nitin Satpute.

According to the petition, Priyanka Shete is in the second year of LL.B., belongs to the Maratha community, and has attained majority on August 29, 2018.

In the course of her academic career, she met with one Viraj Awghade and both fell in love with each other. She decided to marry him after attaining majority as required by the law.

The petition further stated that Shete’s parents were against the inter-caste marriage and did not like that their daughter was in love with a lower-caste boy.

They did not like Awghade and allegedly threatened her that if she continued meeting him, they would kill both of them. Shete’s parents also allegedly started harassing and torturing her even as they threatened to kill Awghade.

Shete stated that the torture had taken a turn for the worse and she decided to end her life by committing suicide. Therefore, on February 26, 2019, she attempted suicide by consuming medicine in a large quantity.

She was admitted to the Pavna hospital in Pune. After rendering the necessary treatment, the doctor referred the matter as a medico-legal case to the Talegaon police station but the police did not take any action.

In March 2019, Shete’s paternal uncle threatened her by pointing a country-made pistol in her direction.

Shete’s parents had also forced her to stop her law studies. Following this, Shete left her home and started living with Awghade and assured that when Awghade attained majority, they would get married. Shete has sought action against the Talegaon police and also sought protection from her parents. The petition will come up for hearing in due course of time.