Panchayat Bans Muslim Man from His Own Village for Marrying Hindu Woman
Nidhi | Jul 21, 2025, 14:09 IST
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
In Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district, a panchayat has ordered the separation of an interfaith couple and imposed a social boycott on the Muslim man’s family. Shahid and Preeti, who married through a nikah ceremony, faced backlash from three villages, leading to police deployment and community tensions. Despite India’s constitutional right to marry freely, the local panchayat banned Shahid from returning to his village. The incident has raised concerns over personal liberty, religious freedom, and growing intolerance toward interfaith unions in rural India.
ROHTAK: In a controversial decision, a panchayat in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district has ordered the separation of an interfaith couple and imposed a social boycott on the Muslim man’s family across three villages. The incident has raised questions about the legality of such actions under India’s constitutional guarantees of individual freedom.
The couple, Shahid, a Muslim man, and Preeti, a Hindu woman, both from the district, were married through a nikah (Islamic marriage ceremony) on July 3. News of the interfaith union led to rising tensions in the area, with protests erupting on July 6 and several Muslim-owned shops in the region being shut down following public outrage.
In response, a four-hour panchayat meeting was convened on Sunday in Patuwas village, attended by residents and heads of three villages: Patuwas, Mahraana, and Kheri Sanwal. Presided over by village heads Kapoor Singh and Dharampal, the meeting concluded with a directive that the couple be separated. The panchayat further ruled that Shahid and his family would be socially boycotted and Shahid would not be allowed to return to his native village.
“His grandfather has agreed that Shahid will not come back to the village,” said Dharampal.
Police personnel have been deployed at Shahid’s family home to maintain peace and prevent any escalation. Both individuals were earlier housed in a government-run safe house and had signed affidavits stating they would live separately before being released to their families.
Despite efforts by local leaders to defuse the situation, dissatisfaction among village youth persisted, prompting the recent panchayat assembly. 
India’s Constitution guarantees the right to marry a person of one's choice, irrespective of religion, under Article 21, which ensures the right to life and personal liberty. In the landmark Shafin Jahan v. Asokan K.M. (2018) case, the Supreme Court reaffirmed this right, stating that “the right to marry a person of one's choice is integral to Article 21 of the Constitution.”
Additionally, the Special Marriage Act, 1954, provides a legal framework for interfaith couples to marry without religious conversion.
However, despite these protections, incidents involving community interference in interfaith unions are not uncommon in parts of India, often leading to tensions and, in some cases, violence or social ostracism. 
Efforts to mediate the issue are ongoing, with police maintaining a security presence. No official criminal complaint has been filed regarding the panchayat’s actions as of yet. Authorities have not made any statement on whether legal proceedings will be initiated concerning the social boycott or the directive to separate the couple.
The situation remains tense but under control, with district officials monitoring developments closely.
The couple, Shahid, a Muslim man, and Preeti, a Hindu woman, both from the district, were married through a nikah (Islamic marriage ceremony) on July 3. News of the interfaith union led to rising tensions in the area, with protests erupting on July 6 and several Muslim-owned shops in the region being shut down following public outrage.
In response, a four-hour panchayat meeting was convened on Sunday in Patuwas village, attended by residents and heads of three villages: Patuwas, Mahraana, and Kheri Sanwal. Presided over by village heads Kapoor Singh and Dharampal, the meeting concluded with a directive that the couple be separated. The panchayat further ruled that Shahid and his family would be socially boycotted and Shahid would not be allowed to return to his native village.
“His grandfather has agreed that Shahid will not come back to the village,” said Dharampal.
Police personnel have been deployed at Shahid’s family home to maintain peace and prevent any escalation. Both individuals were earlier housed in a government-run safe house and had signed affidavits stating they would live separately before being released to their families.
Despite efforts by local leaders to defuse the situation, dissatisfaction among village youth persisted, prompting the recent panchayat assembly.
What the Law Says
Indian Marriage
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
Additionally, the Special Marriage Act, 1954, provides a legal framework for interfaith couples to marry without religious conversion.
However, despite these protections, incidents involving community interference in interfaith unions are not uncommon in parts of India, often leading to tensions and, in some cases, violence or social ostracism.
Current Status
Panchayat: Objection on Interfaith Marriage
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
The situation remains tense but under control, with district officials monitoring developments closely.