MITHI: A freewill couple was escorted to Karachi by police on Monday after the Sindh High Court allowed the woman, Vidia Bai, to live with her husband, Suresh Kumar, ending a controversy over her second marriage (which was foiled) with an elderly man on the orders of her community elders several weeks ago.

Vidia was taken into protective custody from her village near Kaloi town of Tharparkar district on Sunday on a court order after Mr Kumar filed a petition against the elders’ attempt to forcible marry off his wife. She was produced before Justice Shahnawaz Tariq to record her statement. She informed the court that she had contracted a freewill marriage with her close relative, Mr Kumar, on May 4 in Karachi and wanted to live with him.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2016