UP: Interfaith marriage in Meerut put off amid 'love jihad' claims by Hindu groups

MEERUT (UP): (Feb 13) An interfaith marriage scheduled to be held in Meerut on Friday was postponed following protests by certain Hindu organisations and apprehensions of tension, officials said, as police stepped up security to maintain law and order.

The marriage between a Hindu woman from the Ganganagar area and a Muslim man was to take place at a resort on the Ganganagar-Mawana Road. Invitation cards had already been printed, but a controversy erupted over the groom's name, with some Hindu groups alleging that his identity had been concealed and terming the case as one of alleged "love jihad".

In view of a call for a "mahapanchayat" outside the wedding venue by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Sangathan, the local administration deployed additional police personnel in the area. Amid fears of escalation, the resort management cancelled the booking, leading to the postponement of the wedding.