Kerala High Court Directs Police Protection for Kumbh Mela Girl Facing Kidnapping Case

The Kerala High Court has directed police to provide protection to the young woman who gained nationwide attention after a video of her selling rudraksh garlands at the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela went viral. The order was passed on her petition seeking security for her life amid an ongoing legal dispute surrounding her marriage.

The woman approached the High Court seeking directions to the Kerala government and the Station House Officer of Ernakulam Central Police Station to ensure her safety. After hearing the matter, the court observed that it was prima facie satisfied that she required protection and directed the police to provide adequate security until the writ petition is finally decided.

The High Court also issued notices to the state government and the Station House Officer and posted the matter for further hearing on July 10. The interim order comes as the woman remains at the centre of a legal battle involving her marriage and questions regarding her age.

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Earlier this month, another bench of the Kerala High Court had granted one month of transit bail to her husband, Mohd Farman, to enable him to approach a court in Madhya Pradesh for anticipatory bail. The court had also observed that the woman appeared to be a major at first glance.

Mohd Farman is accused of kidnapping the woman in a case registered by Madhya Pradesh Police based on a complaint filed by her father, who claims that she is a minor. Following the complaint, police booked him under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The woman rose to prominence after a content creator shared a video of her selling rudraksh garlands during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, attracting widespread attention on social media. She later married Mohd Farman in Kerala in the presence of senior CPI(M) leaders despite opposition from her family, after which the dispute over her age and the legality of the marriage led to the ongoing criminal case and court proceedings.

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