Deaf-mute couple's wedding stalled

30.12.2015, AHMEDABAD: After fathe ring a child and obtaining bail to marry the rape survi vor, the deaf and mute accu sed returned to jail on Mon day without being able to marry the disabled victim Opposing the marital union were residents of Pachham village in Dholera.

The villagers and girl's relatives took exception to the wedding on the ground that the bride and groom cannot marry because they belong to the same village and thus should be conside red as brother and sister. The girl's maternal uncle in par ticular raised objection to the marriage, which was arranged by the victim girl's sister.

Public prosecutor Pravin Trivedi said that as the accu sed Nagarbhai Anjara surrendered on Modnay , it was also submitted before the co urt that the efforts by other family members were going on to convince the girl's uncle and other villagers who had taken exception to the marriage. Since the efforts were underway to convince people to allow the wedding to take place, the court was urged to give another chance to the accused person. Principal district judge PR Patel has kept further hearing on this matter on January 2.

The situation just become more complex in this case after Anjara was granted a 10-day bail to marry the rape and mute rape survivor, who also delivered a child after becoming a victim of alleged sexual assault. The child has been in protective custody of a women's protec tion home after the relatives and local administration ca me to a conclusion that the rape survivor was not in a position to look after her ba by.

Anjara was arrested in January on a complaint lod ged by the rape survivor's father, who had then learned about his daughter's preg nancy . Later, the girl's father passed away . Her mother had died in 2008.

On December 15, the rape survivor's sister approached the sessions court in Mirza pur rural court campus and requested that Anjara be re leased on bail for the wed ding. The court inquired whether there was any pres sure on the rape survivor to enter into a compromise with the accused person. She submitted that there was no pressure or compulsion of any such kind on her sister.