Delhi HC protects family threatened by Khap over inter-gotra marriage

A Bidhuri Gotra panchayat in a South East Delhi village issued a diktat threatening to kill a Chechi Gotra family over an inter-gotra marriage. Following a petition, the Delhi High Court has granted protection to the groom's family.

A Khap-like Panchayat diktat has come to light in a village of the South East District of the National Capital, where the predominant Bidhuri Gotra panchayat issued a diktat to a member of the Chechi Gotra to cancel the proposed marriage of his son with a girl of their Gotra. The family was threatened with being ostracised or being killed. Both Bidhuri and Chechi are gotras of the Gurjar community. Notably, social media was also used to incite members of the Bidhuri community. This incident occurred in Village Khizrabad, which falls under the jurisdiction of the New Friends Colony Police Station.

Delhi High Court Grants Protection

After hearing the petition moved by the groom's father, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted protection to the family. The aggrieved family belongs to the Chechi Gotra of the Gurjar community, who are in the minority in the village. Justice Ravinder Dudeja granted protection to the family of Rakesh, including his son Sagar. Delhi Police has also been directed to counsel the respondents from the Bidhuri community and ensure a smooth marriage. The Prosecution said that the respondents were counselled. They will be counselled further.

Petitioner's Plea

Advocate Sudhir Nagar, alongwith Advocate Mohit Singh, appeared for petitioner Rakesh. It was submitted that the girl is a resident of Murad Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. However, the Members of the Bidhuri Gotra are threatening the petitioner to compel the cancellation of the marriage. He and his family have received death threats. It was also submitted that Pachayat are being organised. Despite the Complaint to the police family is under threat. On December 8, several people gathered and threat the family. The PCR call had to be made.

The objection to the proposed marriage is not only illegal but also illogical, absurd, and contrary to societal norms and customs, the counsel said. The marriage is scheduled to take place in February 2026.

It is submitted in the petition that 'Gurjars' are Hindus for the purposes of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and there is no legal impediment whatsoever to the proposed marriage of the petitioner's son with any girl belonging to the 'Bidhuri' sub-caste. The prospective bride belongs to the 'Bidhuri' sub-caste and is a resident of Murad Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, and has no connection whatsoever with the respondents or any other villager of Village Khizrabad, New Delhi. The respondents have no right to interfere in the personal matters of the petitioners or to cause any interference whatsoever in the proposed marriage between two adults scheduled to take place with the consent of both parties to the marriage and their respective family members.

It is also submitted that the petitioners are inhabitants of Village Khizrabad, New Delhi being lineal descendants of their ancestors who had settled in the said Village around 150 years back. Khizrabad Village is predominantly inhabited by the 'Bidhuri' sub-caste of the Gurjar community, whereas the petitioners belong to the 'Chechi' sub-caste of the Gurjar community, the plea said.

Basis of the Threats

The grievances of the respondents are that the petitioner's son, Sagar, cannot be permitted to marry a girl belonging to the 'Bidhuri' sub-caste since the petitioners are residing in a village belonging to the 'Bidhuri' sub-caste. The petitioners are facing an imminent threat to their life and safety at the hands of the respondents and other members belonging to 'Bidhuri' gotra, who have brazenly threatened to kill the petitioners only on the ground that the marriage of Sagar has been arranged with a girl belonging to 'Bidhuri' gotra, the plea said.

Intimidation and Incitement

The respondents, alongwith other members of the Bidhuri sub-caste, have convened a number of meetings/panchayat and have issued a diktat directing the petitioners to cancel the scheduled marriage, else the petitioners and their other family members will be killed. The marriage is scheduled to take place on February 12, 2026, the plea added.

The plea said that the Respondents, alongwith other members of the Bidhuri sub-caste, had gathered outside the house of the petitioners and created a ruckus on December 8 at around 11:30 p.m. The said persons were allegedly threatening to kill the entire family and were using abusive and vulgar language. The petitioners also have a video recording of so-called 'panchayat' / 'meetings' where the respondents can be seen instigating the villagers against the petitioners and urging them to kill them and even stating that they were ready to go to the police station, jail and to contest the case in this regard. The respondents are also circulating inflammatory videos that incite members of the Bidhuri sub-caste to attack the petitioners. There has arisen a serious threat to the life and safety of the petitioners and their family members, who have been receiving life threats as well as threats to burn down their houses, the plea said. (ANI)

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