17 February,2011 07:15 AM IST | | Rocky Thongam
Woman, who claims to be the niece of a powerful politician from the state, alleges her spouse's life is in danger since he belongs to a lower caste. The couple is now in Delhi
A young college girl visits a restaurant. There is something about the lanky boy who waits on her table which keeps her awake all night. She meets him again, love blossoms and they marry at a temple. Unfortunately, they can't claim they are living happily ever after. In fact, they are on the run fearing for their lives.
On the run:u00a0Pavani Reddy with her husband A Ravikumar in New Delhi
on Wednesday.u00a0Their wedding photo. Pic/Imtiyaz Khan
Yesterday, Pavani who claims to be the niece of an Andhra Pradesh minister was rescued from the state and brought to the Capital by Love Commando, an NGO which works to protect couples from Honour Killing. Pavani claims her relatives are threatening to kill her husband A Ravi Kumar, because she married him against their wishes. "My uncle who is minister's brother has threatened to kill my husband," she alleged.u00a0
Pavani belongs to a family of politicians in Andhra Pradesh and declares that several of her relatives are involved in the 'conspiracy'. Speaking to MiD DAY, Pavani claimed that she had married Ravi on the 10th of January. It was a love story which blossomed in a restaurant in Vanapathy, Mehbub Nagar in Andhra Pradesh where A Ravi used to work. "Ravi's father is a driver and economically not suitable to my family's taste. Also, he belongs to a backward caste, while I belong to a higher caste. My family is not ready to tolerate this relationship at any cost," said Pavani.
"We are both of legal age and had married once before in Varanasi on the 17th of December last year in front of our friends. Earlier this year we legally wedded yet again at an Arya Samaj Mandir," Ravi said.
"My uncle has been harassing my in-laws since we got married. They have sent goons to our house and even beaten us up. My father-in-law has stopped working since his life is in danger. The police is in my family's pocket and has refused to register a case or provide protection," Pavani claimed.
She also alleged that an advocate who was acting on behalf of an MP from the state had asked her to come back home to her parents or face consequences. She also accuses that another former minister from the state had called up the SP and Commissioner of Wanapathy district, where they hail from, to hand over her to her parents.
Rescue act
Love Commando volunteers rescued the couple after they made a call to them in Delhi asking for help. "Our workers In Andhra Pradesh kept a close watch on them and whisked them away at the right time," said Sanjoy Sachdev, Chairman, Love Commando. "They had no money and were extremely terrorised. After a long operation involving volunteers from three states, we finally brought them to an undisclosed bunker we keep reserved for our couples," added Sachdev. When MiD DAY spoke to an alleged relative of Pavani she said: "I don't know any Pavani Reddy; she is not related to me. I don't know anything about this."
