Days after a 22-year-old Bihar man married his 42-year-old mother-in-law, he has filed for a divorce after ‘realising that the society was not ready to accept the relation’.
Suraj Mehta of Bihar’s Puraini village in Madhepura district married his mother-in-law Asha Devi in June before a local court in Koshi region. However, the couple has filed for a divorce in front of the same notary.
“Only after I married my mother-in-law and we started living as husband-wife, I realised that the society is not ready to accept us. We were socially isolated and virtually boycotted by family, relatives and caste members. This compelled both of us to take a decision for a divorce,” Mehta said.
He said it was difficult to survive alone in society in a village.
“It is not a city. Most of the villagers, including family members, neighbours, friends and others, repeatedly pointed that we had committed a sin, not a simple mistake. The villagers were adamant not to socially recognise our relationship as husband and wife,” he said.
Mehta said initially, local village panchayat has approved their marriage, but later they disapproved it and refused to help us.
Mohan Prasad, one of the villagers, said that due to social pressure, both Mehta and his mother-in-law-turned-wife have been living a secluded life in their thatched house.
“No one had visited them after they married and they have also not allowed anyone to visit,” he said.
Mehta’s father Parmanand declared in a village meeting that he has disowned him.
According to villagers, Asha Devi, a resident of Maruaahi village, visited her daughter Lalita Kumari’s house last year to help her look after ailing Mehta. During her stay, she developed a physical relationship with him. They both fell in love and decided to marry.
Mehta had married Lalita in 2013 and she delivered a child in 2014.
Now, Mehta is keen to revive his relationship with Lalita and ready to treat Asha like his mother-in-law again. At present, Lalita is staying with her father.
Image used for representation only.