Hindu-Muslim wedding reception ‘on hold’ in Vasai after protests over Shraddha murder

Following protests after the tweet of a news channel editor, a wedding reception of a Hindu-Muslim couple has been cancelled in Maharashtra’s Vasai, the hometown of Aaftab Amin Poonawala, news agency PTI reported, quoting the local police.

The reception was scheduled to be held on Sunday at a wedding hall in the West Vasai area. The families of the couple on Saturday visited Manikpur police station and told the cops that the reception had been put on hold, a police officer said. Around 200 guests were expected for the reception on Sunday.

Sudarshan News editor Suresh Chavhanke tweeted a photo of the invitation card of the reception on Friday with ‘Love Jihad’, ‘Act of terrorism’ hashtags and wrote, “Now Imran and Divya’s wedding is taking place in the same Vasai from where murder Aaftab belongs. How is this going to happen ever after the heart-rending crime in which Shraddha was murdered and her body was chopped into 35 pieces.”

Police said after the tweet went viral, local Hindu and Muslim organisations in Vasai called the owner of the hall and asked him to cancel the event to maintain peace in the area.

Shraddha’s murder triggered the ‘love jihad’ angle as Aaftab is a Muslim and Shraddha’s father did not rule out the angle. Shraddha’s family never approved of the relationship and were not aware that Shraddha and Amin moved to Delhi.

This interfaith marriage has no ‘love jihad’ angle as both their families supported their 11-year-old relationship and the marriage was registered in the court on November 17, police said.