Valentines day: Right-wing group 'forcibly' marries off student couple in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Activists from the Bajrang Dal forcibly married off a young couple at a park in the outskirts of Hyderabad on Valentine's Day.

The activists found a student couple in a park and made the boy tie what appears like 'mangalsutra' to the girl. The entire incident was also filmed by the group members before they took a picture with the couple. 

The activists then shared the video on social media. The protestors could be heard saying it's an auspicious day as the boy 'tied the knot'. Later, one of them is seen congratulating the boy.

The girl was allegedly dropped to her engineering college by her father. She then met the boy and they decided to go to the park where the incident took place. The couple didn't reach home until late that evening, reports suggest.

Several activists have been on rounds on V-day hunting for couples at tourist spots, parks, theatres and hotels.

Workers of Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other rightwing groups staged protests in various parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh against the celebrations of Valentine's Day.  Police arrested a group of protestors at LB Nagar, where they were found raising slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' and holding saffron flags. They also tried to burn an effigy of Valentine.

A protest was held against an event organised by some youths in Nalgonda town of Telangana. In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, VHP and Bajrang Dal activists held a protest at Rajiv Gandhi Park. They put up posters and banners advising youth to stay away from Valentine's Day celebrations. The leaders of the organisations said celebrating Valentine's Day was against India's culture. 

Last year, a couple made use of such an opportunity to enter into wedlock after their families opposed their relationship. The couple sought the group's help to take their relationship forward.