Son witnessed marriage of his parents

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 21: In an exemplary event a man wedded his once abandoned fiancée last night. The eight-month-old son born out of their relation was present on the lap of the bride as the chief witness. The marriage ceremony was organised at the Shot Stay Home (SSH) premises at Baneswar in Cooch Behar.

 

Ms Nilima Debnath (23) of Kutipara in Baneswar had sought help from the Family Counselling Centre (FCC) run by a non-government organisation of Baneswar on 28 February 2006. She informed them that she was in love with a neighbour named Mr Rajmangal Mahato since 1998. They had physical relation too as her lover, a dry fish trader, assured her of marriage. Out of premarital sexual relation she became pregnant. (She was four months pregnant when she came to the FCC.) But, the fiancé and his family members denied accepting her. The FCC arranged her to live at the Short Stay Home run by the NGO since 21 April 2006. She gave birth of a male child named Rajnarayan at MJN Hospital on 14 August in that year.

 

In the meantime the FCC tried several times to convince the man and his family members to marry the girl but they did not agree. At last the FCC sought the help of Women Cell of Cooch Behar Police and the girl lodged a complaint against the man and his family members. Following this development Rajmangal came out with a proposal to marry her and also expressed his willingness to accept the son. The girl too agreed to this proposal.

 

The much sought after marriage ceremony took place last night at the SSH premises in Baneswar. The father of Nilima Mr Sailendra Debnath and the father of Rajmangal Mr Bhikari Mahato were present at the ceremony along with their newly got grandson Rajnarayan. []