Protection removed, bail over, Madhya Pradesh Police on their heels, woman of Kumbh Mela fame, husband stay in hiding

4 min readBhopal, ThiruvanananthapuramUpdated: Jul 14, 2026 09:31 AM IST

The case against the husband, 26, was filed by the woman’s father, claiming that his daughter was a minor, and had been abducted. (File Photo)

For three months now, the woman who courted fame during the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela held in Uttar Pradesh and her husband have lived in fear, moving from one city to another in Kerala chased by allegations regarding their inter-faith marriage.

The fear is closing in again with the interim bail given by the Kerala High Court to the husband, in a POCSO case in Madhya Pradesh, ending earlier this month. The Madhya Pradesh Police have been camping in Kerala to take the husband back with them.

Last week, the Kerala High Court also vacated its earlier order granting police protection to the couple, after police said it could not locate them. Dhanam Kannan, a film professional who has been helping the couple, told The Indian Express: “The couple had given my address to court, but they are afraid of staying there because of the Madhya Pradesh Police. We do not know where they have gone. Hence, the court vacated the protection order.”

The case against the husband, 26, was filed by the woman’s father, claiming that his daughter was a minor, and had been abducted. She has however produced documents showing she is 18. As she belongs to a tribal community, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) is also probing the matter.

‘Married to Pakistani’ threat

In their plea to the High Court seeking police protection, the couple said she had got a call threatening her that while she had become “a star” during the Kumbh Mela, she had “got married to a Pakistani”. “The caller threatened to shoot her.”

Kannan said: “Apart from the Madhya Pradesh Police chasing him, hardline Hindutva groups in Kerala have also come out against the husband.”

He said other colleagues besides him have been helping the two. “They do not stay in one place. They are not using mobile phones either… They are afraid that the Hindutva groups may hand them over to similar groups in Madhya Pradesh.”

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Following the spotlight on the woman at the Mahakumbh Mela, she had got some media offers, and it was for this that she came to Kerala in March, and met the 26-year-old.

As they expressed their desire to marry, her father filed a case and insisted she return with him to Madhya Pradesh. The couple sought asylum at a police station in Thiruvananthapuram and, after she refused to go with her father, the film crew stepped in to help them get married.

A senior Madhya Pradesh Police officer said the case was under investigation. “We are proceeding with our investigation and may also add additional Sections relating to forgery in the case. Our investigation has found that false documents were used to secure the marriage certificate.”

Father urges officials to reissue birth cirtificate

Her parents have said that the birth certificate she submitted, showing her date of birth as January 1, 2008, and making her 18-plus, was the result of an error.

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The father said he had submitted an application to “(the) Tehsildar requesting that an order be issued for the issuance of a revised birth certificate for his daughter, reflecting the accurate date of birth obtained from hospital records”.

Sources said the NCST has also determined the woman to be a minor, with the hospital where she was born recording her date of birth as December 30, 2009. That made her age at the time of the wedding on March 11 at 16 years, 2 months and 12 days, the panel reportedly has found.

Sources said the NCST visited the temple where the marriage was solemnised, to verify the documents submitted by the couple, including their Aadhaar cards, besides an undertaking that they were adults and marrying of their own free will

The NCST has reportedly recommended an FIR against the husband under Sections of kidnapping a woman to compel her to marry, fraudulent marriage, rape, cohabitation under false pretences, multiple Sections under the POCSO Act, as well as the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.

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Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.

Expertise, Experience, and Authority

Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.

Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:

Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.

Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.

Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.

Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.

Expertise and Reporting Beats

Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:

National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.

Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).

Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.

Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.

Professional Background

Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.

Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.

Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.

Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.

Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.

Digital & Professional Presence

Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express

Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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