According to the latest reports, an FIR has been registered against three family members of Shete at Pune’s Talegaon Dabhade police station. This comes after Shete had written to the National Commission for Women (NCW) seeking its intervention, fearing the violent backlash from her family for being in a relationship with Aghwate.
“In the FIR, the 19-year-old Priyanka Shete has mentioned that her family has been threatening to kill her as she wants to get married to a person who belongs to lower caste. We have registered an FIR against three persons of her family and further investigation is underway,” the police said.
FIR has been registered under sections 344 (wrongful confinement for ten or more days), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication).
Shete’s counsel, Advocate Nitin Satpute, said that the police did not make arrangements for her security despite receiving a request. “What we see here is a clear violation of the Supreme Court’s order in the Lata Singh vs State of Uttar Pradesh case. In any situation where a couple comes under threat for planning an inter-caste marriage, it is the duty of the state to protect their lives. Nobody can stop their marriage. In fact, the government offers Rs. 50,000 for inter-caste marriages, especially if the groom belongs to the lower caste. But the police here seemed least bothered to protect this couple, forcing us to approach the court,” Satpute said.
Earlier Ms Shete had sought protection under Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees personal liberty to every citizen, because her family was opposed to their relationship.