Sumayya Sherin, a lesbian woman from Kerala's Malappuram district, reunited with her partner 'A' on Wednesday, June 28, after being kept apart by the latter's family. 'A' had earlier alleged that her family had taken her away from her workplace and was keeping her from living with her partner. ‘A’ was brought to the Malppuram Women Police station on the night of June 27 by her family and taken to the Kondotty police station the next day, where officers authorised by the Women’s Protection Office (WPO) in Malappuram took her statement. Gargi H from Vanaja Collective, a Kerala based NGO that had intervened in the issue to provide help for the couple, said that the couple has since then been living at Sumayya’s relative’s house, after the police let them go together.
“On June 28, A told the WPO officers that she did not have any complaints against her family and that she wished to go with Sumayya. Accordingly, no complaint has been registered against the family by the WPO. However, we have assured them of all assistance in case a need arises in the future,” an officer from Malappuram WPO told TNM.
These developments happened after disturbing scenes unfolded at A’s house on June 27, when her family allegedly took her away as the Malappuram WPO officers went there upon receiving complaints of mistreatment.
On June 24 and 25, A had sent text messages to Sumayya indicating that she had been forcibly detained at a hospital in Kozhikode and given medication. Following this, Vanaja Collective filed a complaint with the WPO. Rehnas, a One Stop Home administrator under the WPO, and a care worker, along with two police officers, visited A’s house in Kondotty on June 27 to assess the situation. However, many neighbours and family members gathered there at the time, allegedly resulting in violence. Videos from the scene showed a protesting A being forced to enter a car by members of her family. She was soon taken away by them.
Later on Tuesday night, the family presented her at the Malappuram Women Police Station. Gargi said that the family did so due to mounting pressure. “There was pressure on the family to return her as the issue gained attention. Minister R Bindhu had called the police regarding the matter,” she said.
Gargi added that Sumayya and A are expected to address the media on Monday, July 3. The Kondotty police have registered a case against the family for the alleged detainment. The concerned officer was unresponsive when TNM reached out for a confirmation on this.
Sumayya and A were living together in Ernakulam since January this year, after a Malappuram Magistrate Court issued an order in their favour. Later, A was allegedly taken away from her workplace on May 30 by her family. Sumayya then filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court on June 5. Even though the court ordered A to be presented on June 9, the family’s lawyer requested time till June 19 to produce her. On June 19, A had told the court that she did not wish to live with Sumayya. However, she later texted her partner saying that she had been forced to say so due to the mistreatment by her family and health professionals.