Noida girl who was reported 'missing' found in 'live-in' relation with her girlfriend

Noida: A 19-year-old BA student who was reported to have gone missing by her parents has been found living with her consent at her girlfriend's house in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh, police officials said on Wednesday.

The student lived in the Swar area of the district and her parents had informed the local police in July that she has gone missing after which a case was lodged and investigation taken up, the officials said.

"After days of search, she was recently found living at the house of her friend, who is an MA student, in the Shahbad area of the district. She was brought to the police station where she told officials that she had left home to stay with her girlfriend out of her own choice," Police Circle Officer (Swar) Dharam Singh Marchal told PTI.

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"Subsequently, families of both the students were called for a meeting by the police after which the younger girl decided that she wanted to stay with her friend. Several members of both the families including the girls were present during the meeting," the officer said.

According to officials, the family of the younger student had initially told the police that she is under 18 years of age.

However, Marchal said the girl pursuing BA is aged 19 while the one in MA is two or three years elder to her and both belong to financially "not so good" families.

"Both the girls are adults, aged over 18 years. It is their decision on whom to live with and we cannot interfere," the Circle Officer said.

Same-sex relationships and live-in relationships are considered taboo by many despite courts of law recognising such couples as legitimate.

The Supreme Court had in May 2018 held that an adult couple had the right to live together even without marriage and had legalised gay sex in a landmark ruling in September the same year.

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