Bhiwani/Rohtak:
A panchayat in Bhiwani in Haryana has annulled a marriage between a boy and girl of the same clan. The meeting was headed by former Haryana Chief Minister Hukam Singh.
The newly weds have fled to Rajasthan fearing for the lives but their family back home is at the receiving end. Not only is it ostracized, the panchayat has even banned them from selling their land.
The turnout at the panchayat meeting called to decide what punishment should be given to the family whose son married a girl from the same clan was very high.
In rural Haryana where the writ of the panchayat is feared more than the law of the land, the former chief minister was quick to pass the verdict.
"We can't allow this. They have to break it or face action. This can never be allowed. This is our law," the former CM declared.
The panchayat ruled that the wedding must be terminated within a week, else strict action will be taken.
Sixty-year-old Randhir Singh and his wife have been ostracized ever since their son, Sribhagwan, married a girl from the neighbouring village a fortnight ago.
After the wedding, the couple fled to Rajasthan, where Sribhagwan works as a police constable.
Caught between the panchayat's diktat and hostile villagers, his parents now live in fear.
"What can we do? We are not safe here. Panchayat is against us and the entire village," says Randhir Singh.
The panchayat has now banned the family from selling their land. And if they decide to leave the village, the panchayat would take over their property.