2 women allege abuse by alcoholic husbands; leave home, marry each other in UP’s Deoria

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh): In a shocking incident, two women who had met on Instagram and remained friends for years, left their abusive husbands and got married to each other in Deoria, media reports said on Saturday.

According to media reports, the two women, Kavita and Gunja tied the knot in a simple ceremony that they performed themselves on Thursday at the Shiva Temple in Deoria.

Temple priest Uma Shankar Pandey said the two women purchased garlands and ‘sindoor (vermillion)’, performed the marriage rituals themselves, and quietly left.

Later, speaking to reporters, the two women said that they were fed up with their alcoholic and abusive husbands and this prompted them to leave their homes and marry each other.

Kavita and Gunja told mediapersons that they had connected on Instagram and were drawn to each other because of their similar circumstances as they both endured domestic violence at the hands of their alcoholic husbands for years.

At the temple, Gunja took on the role of the groom, applied ‘sindoor’ to Kavita, then exchanged garlands with her and completed the seven pheras.

“We were tormented by our husbands’ alcoholic and abusive behaviour. This pushed us to choose a life of peace and love. We have decided to live in Gorakhpur as a couple and work to sustain ourselves,” media reports quoted Gunja as saying.

One woman who has four children from her marriage, said her husband who is an alcoholic, assaulted her daily. Unable to bear the torment she decided to return to her parents’ home after the violence would not end despite repeated pleas.

The other woman claimed her husband also drank excessively and falsely accused her of infidelity, forcing her to leave him.

Kavita and Gunja said they are determined to stay together and will not let anyone separate them. Although they currently do not have a permanent home, they plan to rent a place to live.

The two now plan to rent a room and begin their journey as a married couple, even though same-sex marriages are still not allowed in the country.

IANS