MP High Court Grants Police Protection to 20-Year-Old Woman Against Family Harassment
A 20-year-old woman from Ujjain approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking protection from her family members, alleging mental and physical harassment, marriage pressure, and obstruction to her studies and employment. She also made serious allegations of sexual exploitation against her father and reported threats to her life.
Justice Sandeep N Bhatt observed that an adult woman cannot be harassed due to family objections to her personal choices. The court upheld her constitutional right to personal liberty and dignity under Article 21, noting she is entitled to police protection to avoid harassment.
The High Court directed her to file a detailed statement with the Ujjain Superintendent of Police, naming those allegedly threatening her. The court instructed police to take immediate action if a threat to her life is substantiated, citing Supreme Court precedents in Lata Singh and Shakti Vahini cases. The petition was disposed of with directions to the Advocate General to communicate the order to authorities for compliance.
