Family ‘thrashes’ Hyderabad couple at police station for love marriage

HYDERABAD: Family members of a 21-year-old engineering student, who had married her childhood friend without their consent, allegedly roughed up the couple at the LB Nagar police station on Monday. Subsequently, police counselled both the families. After recording the statement of the woman, they sent her with her husband.
Hari, 21, a college drop-out and currently unemployed, married his childhood sweetheart and neighbour Pooja, pursuing engineering. Both the youngsters are from Champapet.
Four days ago, Pooja left home and did not return. After failing to locate her, Pooja’s family members lodged a missing complaint, LB Nagar inspector V Ashok Reddy said.
On Monday, Pooja along with her husband Hari and his family members reached the LB Nagar police station to inform authorities about their marriage. When the couple was still at LB Nagar police station, Pooja’s family members reached there and the women roughed her up. “About 15 women roughed up Pooja and they also heckled Hari. They removed her mangalsutra before police intervened,” Hari’s aunt Niranjani said.
Police then called the couple along with their family members for counselling. “Two days ago Hari married Pooja at Kanipakam in Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. Since they are majors, we have recorded the statement of Pooja. As per her wish, we decided to send her with Hari,” the inspector said.
DCP, LB Nagar, Sanpreet Singh said they would provide protection to the couple as per requirement. “The parents of the woman were angry and they acted emotionally. There was no assault,” the DCP said. The inspector said they have not registered any case.