Visakhapatnam: A father, accompanied by goons, kidnapped his daughter and assaulted her husband as they had married outside their castes.

Chinta Rajesh and Raminidi Pooja Saraswathi, of different castes, had married against the wishes of the bride’s parents on December 12 at Simhachalam temple in Vizag.

On December 15, Ms Saraswathi’s father R. Muralimohan, a Congress leader of East Godavari district and his henchmen visited the house of the couple and kidnapped Ms Saraswathi after injuring the groom and his family. Mr Rajesh approached the senior cops, demanding action against his father-in-law and wanted his wife to be rescued.

Mr Rajesh, a 28-year-old resident of Gajuwaka area in the city, had fallen in love with his junior, Ms Saraswathi, 21, a native of Rajahmundry, when he was taking the Common Proficiency Test (CPT) in Rajahmundry.

The two decided to get married, but Ms Saraswathi’s parents did not agree to the match as Mr Rajesh is from a backward community, while they are from an upper caste. Mr Muralimohan had also warned Mr Rajesh with dire consequences if he went ahead.

On December 15, the girl’s father and his followers came to Vizag in three cars and attacked Mr Rajesh and his family members and forcibly took Ms Saraswathi.

Family members of Mr Rajesh said on Wednesday that they had lodged a complaint at the Gajuwaka police station in the city on the same day, but the cops are yet to arrest the kidnappers and rescue Ms Saraswathi.

Mr Rajesh said that Mr Muralimohan had influenced the cops.

“If the cops fail to rescue my wife, I will approach the State Human Rights Council,” he added.