Patna: Two teenage girls from the same neighbourhood in Patna, who had reportedly been friends for around two-and-a-half years, left home together on August 7 after their families opposed their relationship. The girls later told police that they had travelled to Khagaria, where they claimed to have married at a temple and stayed together in a hotel for about five days.
The girls, both school students, were brought to a police station on August 12 after they were traced. During questioning, one of them, identified here as Sakina (name changed), said they wanted to continue living together but were being forced to separate.
The other girl, referred to as Sarita (name changed), is a Class 10 student, while Sakina is studying in Class 12. Their identities have been withheld to protect their privacy as minors.
‘We were friends first, then fell in love’
According to Sakina’s account to police, the two girls are neighbours and their homes are only a few metres apart. They had been friends for around two-and-a-half years and regularly studied, travelled and spent time together.
Sakina reportedly told police that about six months ago she realised that her feelings for Sarita had changed.
“We were neighbours. Initially, we were only friends. We studied together, met regularly and visited each other’s homes. Gradually, our friendship became very close. About six months ago, I realised that we were not just friends. I was not interested in boys, and my feelings for Sarita grew stronger. I felt that I had fallen in love with her. She felt the same way.”
Sakina said she later expressed her feelings to Sarita and that the two decided to pursue a relationship.
Families opposed relationship
According to Sakina, the girls eventually told their families about their relationship, but the families did not accept it. She said differences in their religious backgrounds became a major concern for the families.
“We tried to convince our families, but they did not agree. We were repeatedly told that the relationship was not right. Restrictions at home also increased,” she reportedly told police.
The girls then decided to leave home, fearing that their families would separate them.
Left home with Rs 3,500
Sakina told police that the two left home on August 7 with around Rs 3,500 and travelled from Patna to Khagaria.
She said they went to a temple in Khagaria and claimed to have married there before taking a hotel room. According to her account, they stayed at the hotel for around five days before their money ran out.
“We wanted to live together and start our lives on our own. But before that, the police caught us,” she reportedly said.
The claim of a temple marriage has been made by the girls. Since both are minors, the legal status of such a purported marriage is a separate matter and is being dealt with according to applicable law.
Tension in neighbourhood
The girls live close to each other in the Adalatganj area of Patna. Residents said their friendship had been known in the neighbourhood because they had studied and spent time together for years.
However, several residents declined to comment when approached about the matter, saying it was now between the families and police.
A neighbour, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the families had earlier shared normal relations but were now avoiding public discussion of the matter.
The girl’s family also declined to speak on camera. A family member said they did not want the issue to be given a communal angle or create further tension in the neighbourhood.
“We have to continue living in this neighbourhood, so we do not want the situation to worsen,” the family member said.
One girl sent to child care institution
After the girls were brought back to Patna, police arranged their medical examination and initiated the next steps based on their ages and legal circumstances.
The Class 10 student was sent to a child care institution, while Sakina was handed over to her family. Her family, however, reportedly decided to keep her with relatives rather than at their home for the time being, citing the atmosphere surrounding the case.
According to the families, speculation in the neighbourhood has increased and they do not want the matter to become a bigger public issue.
The girls reportedly refused to meet their family members after returning to Patna and continued telling police that they wanted to stay together. Authorities are now handling the matter in accordance with the applicable procedures concerning minors.
