Kerala HC vacates order for police protection of viral kumbh mela girl

Kochi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Friday vacated its earlier order directing the police to provide protection to the young girl who shot to fame during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela and whose husband is now facing charges of kidnapping her, after the police claimed she could not be traced. The police told Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas that when they tried to implement the protection order, the whereabouts of the girl could not be found, her lawyer P S Anishad said. Advocate Anishad said that the court directed the police to provide protection to the girl when she approaches it seeking the same. "Interim order vacated. Post on July 21," the court said. The High Court's order for police protection had come on the girl's plea seeking directions to the state government and the SHO of the Ernakulam Central police station to safeguard her life. The girl's husband, Farman, is accused of kidnapping her in a case registered by Madhya Pradesh police based on a complaint lodged by her father, who has claimed that she is a minor. With a captivating smile and beautiful eyes, the Indore girl had shot to fame after a virtual content creator shared a video of her selling rudraksh garlands at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh last year. She married the man in Kerala, in the presence of senior CPI(M) leaders, despite her family's opposition. However, her family later claimed that she was a minor, leading to Farman being booked by Madhya Pradesh police for various offences, including kidnapping, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. PTI HMP KH