Chandigarh:
A fourth arrest today in the Delhi 'dishonour' killings, which saw three people dead in just one family. Worried about a similar fate, hundreds of couples around the country have little choice but to knock the doors of judiciary for help. Threatened with dire consequences for defying caste boundaries, the law is their only recourse.
In fact, the Punjab and Haryana High Court gets over 100 such couples every month, desperate for protection from their own families.
The court is the last resort for several couples in love. Among them Rajesh and Kusum, who have been in hiding since they got married few weeks ago.
Rajesh, a Rajput from Rajasthan, and his wife, a Jat from Haryana, have been threatened for weeks now and the court was their last hope.
And they weren't disappointed. The court ordered the police to ensure their safety, some relief for the newly-weds.
"We have come to the High Court for protection. Judge has ordered protection, but till the time we get the order there is fear," says Rajesh Kumar, who married against the wishes of bride's family.
In recent years, cases like this have kept lawyers at these courts occupied. In fact every day more than dozen such couples knock at the doors of the judiciary.
And lawyers say, along with legal protection, counseling is also crucial.
"It is the duty of the police that they give protection to such couples, in the sense they should look into their problem. Our duty is to give good advice to these couples and help them," says Arun Singla, an advocate practicing in the Punjab Haryana High Court.
Lawyers say it's very easy to get protection, but then sometimes even protection really doesn't work.