Anju’s ‘marriage run’ to Pak leaves kin out of work | India News – Times of India

BHOPAL: Anju’s decision to run off to Pakistan and apparently marry her Facebook lover there has had severe repercussions on her family back home. Her husband has been benched by his employers, her brother has been sacked, and her father, who is a tailor, is no longer getting work as people are distancing themselves from him.

Anju’s father, Gaya Prasad Thomas, is being shunned by locals in Bauna village near Gwalior after his daughter’s escapade. There was initial sympathy for him in the village and it’s not known why it changed to animosity. People have stopped giving him work, and his tailoring business has come to a halt, said sources close to the family.
Anju quietly left home on July 20, telling her husband and two children (aged 15 and 6) that she would visit Jaipur and “would be back soon”, but went off to Pakistan on a valid visa. Pakistan media reports say she has changed her name to Fatima and married her FB friend Nasrullah. Back home in Gwalior, anger simmers in Bauna, as people feel their community’s reputation has been tarnished due to Anju’s actions. The village has become the focus of national attention, and even if Anju were to return to India, she would likely face a bitter reception in her hometown, say locals.

Adding to the family’s woes, Anju’s husband Arvind Meena and her brother David Thomas also lost their jobs with private firms in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, after her Pakistan trip. David’s employers sacked him and Arvind has been told to stay home until further orders and not to mention the company’s name anywhere, say sources. It’s not known if Arvind is being paid for sitting tight.
MP home minister Narottam Mishra has ordered police to investigate the circumstances of Anju’s Pakistan run and if there was any external influence.