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In a dramatic incident in Kerala, a young bride was forcibly taken away from the groom by the police on Sunday evening minutes before the inter-faith couple was set to tie the knot at a temple near Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram.
The entire incident played out like some movie scene as visuals of the incident showed the bride, who was screaming she does not want to go, being pushed towards a private vehicle by police personnel outside Kovalam police station.
The police even prevented the groom from going near her, according to the visuals.
One of the officers could also be seen and heard shouting at the screaming bride to get inside the vehicle and after she was pushed inside it, other officers also got in and drove away.
The couple on Monday told a TV channel that the woman -- Alfia -- was, thereafter, taken to a magisterial court where she gave a statement that she had left with the groom -- Akhil -- of her own free will and wanted to go with him.
"After recording my statement, I was allowed to leave with Akhil who had also reached there," she said.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer of Alappuzha district said that there was a missing person complaint lodged in Kayamkulam police station and as part of it they had to produce the woman before a court there.
"The officers were directed to produce the woman before the court. So they were just doing their duty. Not aware about any use of force by them. The girl told the court she wants to leave with the groom and she left with him," the officer told PTI.
He also said he will look into whether there was any use of force by the officers involved.
Alfia, on the other hand, said that the police took her away despite she having already given a statement a few days back that she was leaving with Akhil, whom she knew for over an year, of her own free will to get married to him.
"The missing person complaint was lodged in Kayamkulam police station after that. It was done by my parents. They do not want me to live with him. They want to take me away," she said.
Narrating what transpired just minutes before they were set to tie the knot, Akhil said, "The police arrived in two vehicles from Kayamkulam. They stopped the wedding from happening and forcibly dragged her away.
"At Kovalam police station also they did not allow me to go near her, pushed me away and misbehaved with me. The police were not expected to behave in such a manner."
However, this scary experience has only toughened their resolve to get married instead of dissuading them from going through with it.
"The wedding will happen tomorrow," the couple said.
Akhil also said that they will pursue the complaint against the police' conduct.