A young couple’s return to their native village after a love marriage has sparked a full-scale social boycott by the local panchayat, reigniting the debate over intra-village marriages in rural Punjab. The couple, Taranjeet Singh and Dilpreet Kaur, who grew up across the lane from each other in Galwatti village near Nabha, had eloped and married in 2016. After spending years away, the couple returned six months ago to settle back in the village, prompting intense backlash from villagers.
The panchayat, citing long-standing social customs, passed a resolution declaring the couple and Taranjeet’s entire family “boycotted.” The sarpanch and other villagers have objected to their presence, claiming that marriages within the same village — particularly between individuals who grew up as neighbours — violate community norms. A written declaration was circulated among villagers who signed in support of the boycott.
“This has been our tradition for generations. We do not allow marriages within the same village, especially not among children who grew up together,” said the village sarpanch. “They broke that rule and have returned as if nothing happened. We won’t accept it.”
Dilpreet’s mother has also opposed the union, citing the close proximity of their homes. However, Dilpreet says the couple took the decision to marry due to extreme hardship. “My father was paralysed, and there was no money at home. We chose to be together to support each other. We never wanted to bring dishonour, but what option did we have?” she said.
Following repeated threats and alleged harassment from Dilpreet’s family, the couple approached the Nabha court seeking legal protection. They have alleged that they are being forced to live in isolation and denied basic interaction by the community.
The incident in Galwatti is the latest in a series of similar social boycotts across Punjab villages. In recent months, panchayats in Moga, Faridkot, and Bathinda have also taken measures to ostracize families whose children married within the same village. In some cases, women have been assaulted, and entire families pushed out for defying village conventions.
In Ghal Kalan village (Moga), a woman was thrashed and expelled from the village after her son married a girl from the same community. In Faridkot’s Sirsari and Anokhpura villages, village heads passed resolutions opposing such marriages and appealed to the state government to impose a legal ban. Meanwhile, in Kot Shamir (Bathinda), village elders warned that anyone marrying within the village would lose their status as residents.
Legal experts say these social resolutions, while not enforceable under the law, are a form of extra-constitutional pressure that can seriously harm individuals and families. “Such boycotts may not be legally binding, but they carry deep social penalties in village life. The state machinery must step in to protect constitutional rights,” said a legal activist familiar with such cases in Punjab.
Despite these challenges, couples like Taranjeet and Dilpreet are standing their ground. “We were born here, we have every right to live here,” said Taranjeet. “We broke no law. If anything, we upheld the right to love freely.”
The district administration has so far not intervened in the Galwatti matter. However, with a growing number of similar incidents surfacing across Punjab, pressure is mounting on the government to take a clear stand on intra-village marriages and panchayat-backed boycotts.