Kalyani (WB), Jun 23 (PTI): The family of a young woman, who married a man from a different religion after eloping, performed a 'shradh' ceremony, treating her as if she were deceased, in West Bengal's Nadia district. The family of the college student stated that they held the 'shradh' because she had brought dishonor to them and she is now "dead" to them. The ceremony took place 12 days after she left with the man and married him elsewhere. "She is as good as dead to us," her uncle Somnath Biswas told reporters on Sunday. "We had arranged her marriage, but she refused to listen to us. She brought disrepute by leaving us in this way. Enough is enough." All ceremonial aspects of the 'shradh' were observed, including the tonsuring of heads. A garlanded photo of the woman was displayed where the priest performed the ritual. "We have also burned all her personal belongings," her mother added. The family had initially arranged marriage for the second-year student who studied locally, but she opposed the match. After numerous family disputes, she ran away with a youth from a different religion. Her uncle, Biswas, did not specify if the young man's religion played a role in their drastic action. The girl's father, who works abroad, reportedly supported the family's decision, according to Biswas. Meanwhile, sources close to the couple revealed that the woman is staying with her in-laws elsewhere in the district and is receiving psychological counseling. A senior police officer mentioned, "We are aware of the incident but cannot intervene because she is an adult. No complaint has been made so far."
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