With COVID-19 restrictions stifling movements across the country, a young couple found no safer place than a police station in Odisha’s Bargarh district to solemnize their marriage on Tuesday.
Both Pabitra Sahoo (28) and Lakshmi Meher (24) of Bargarh district had been in love for more than a year and did not want to delay their marriage further.
The local marriage registrar office where they planned to get married was closed and temples were out of bound for commoners due to nationwide lockdown.
“Both Pabitra and Lakshmi approached us with a written request that they wanted to get married. Due to restrictions, they were not finding proper place for marriage,” said Sadanand Pujahari, inspector of Bargarh town police station.
“We confirmed their ages and they were found to be major. Subsequently, we allowed the marriage to take place at police station. Since the government has been insisting on taking precautions, we gave two biscuit, masks and soap as gifts to them,” said Mr. Pujahari.
The groom works as an automobile mechanic. Both of them were apprehensive of going to any temple as police were strictly enforcing the lockdown. Pabitra said it would have been embarrassing, had police taken action on them during marriage.
