Local Indian Council Enforces Hindu Marriage Ban

An AP report from India on Saturday indicated that in the village of Oindh, the panchayat (local council) has enforced the Hindu ban on marrying within one's Gotra (assigned lineage or clan). Even though the marriage is not illegal under Indian civil law, the council took custody of a 10-day old baby of a couple from the same Gotra who married last year in Mumbai. The panchat ordered the couple to live separately and fined the husband 60,000 rupees that will be used to raise the couple's son.