S. ANBU RAJ Vs. DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THERE are two petitioners in this petition. They have come up with this petition seeking a direction to the respondents to avert their honour -killing at the hands of the anti -social elements.

(2.) THE facts of the case would be as follows: The first petitioner is an Advocate practicing before the Principal Bench of this Court for the past one year. He belongs to Maravar Community which is a Most Backward Community. The second petitioner is working in a Textile Mill in Coimbatore for the past 2 1/2 years. She is the daughter of one Mr.Dharmaraj. She belongs to Scheduled Caste Community. According to the petitioners, the second petitioner's father fixed her engagement for marriage with a 39 years old man from her community against her volition. Therefore, she eloped with the first petitioner on 14.10.2014 and thereafter, the petitioners got married at Amman Koil at Madurantakam (vide para 3 of the petition). It is further stated in the petition that the second petitioner's father and his henchmen riding around 3 Sumo Vehicles with 25 persons including few police men of Madurai City and Usilampatti belonging to the same caste are chasing for the petitioners. It is also stated in the petition that the second petitioner's father belongs to an influential caste supported by a political party and he is determined to eliminate not only the first petitioner, but also his own daughter, namely, the second petitioner herein for the said caste honour. The petitioners, therefore, would state that they apprehend honour killing and are therefore in hiding ever since their marriage. With these allegations and apprehensions, the petitioners have come forward with this petition with the prayer as stated above.

(3.) ON 15.10.2014, on a mention made by the learned Counsel for the petitioners and on the oral instructions of the Hon'ble Chief Justice, this petition was listed before me as a specially listed case on 16.10.2014 at about 4.00 p.m. At that time, both the petitioners have appeared before this Court. It was submitted to the Court by the learned Counsel for the petitioners, on instructions, that the petitioners crossed the marriageable age and accordingly, they have married on their own volition.