Adhila Nassrin, an Ernakulam native, had gone on social media seeking help because she believes that her partner, Fathima Noora, was abducted by her parents and is being forced to do conversion therapy.
What Really Happened?
Adhila and Noora have been in a relationship for the past five years. They met at a school while they were in Saudi Arabia and stayed in a relationship even after returning to Kerala. When their parents found out, they didn’t approve of their relationship and started to threaten them. Upon realising that they were not safe within their homes, they fled and came to Vanaja Collective in Kozhikode to seek assistance. Vanaja Collective is an organisation that identifies, creates and establishes a space for marginalised communities.
The Vanaja Collective kept Noora and Adhila safe in a shelter home. Both of their parents had arrived on the same day to take their daughters away. Noora’s parents tried to take away her forcibly. However, volunteers from the Vanaja Collective and police officials prevented this from happening. Adhila’s parents convinced them to go home and discuss the matter. Thinking that this could change their parents’ opinion about their relationship, Adhila and Noora went with them. But, the emotional torture did not end.
Later, Noora’s parents came with a petition stating that Adhila had abducted their daughter. They even forcefully took Noora from Adhila’s house. Speaking to PinkLungi, Adhila shared, “Her mother, sister, and Arshad, the guy who drove the car, took her forcibly. Even now, their phones are switched off.”
Later, Adhila had to endure physical and mental torture from her parents and did not feel safe. At the same time, she feared for Noora’s safety. After learning that Adhila had been attacked, Vanaja Collective contacted the Binanipuram Police. The police assured the Vanaja Collective that they are looking into the matter seriously.
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One of Noora’s family members had sent a video to the CI to show that she is ‘safe’. Adhila shared, “In that video, she mentioned her name, my name as her lesbian partner, and that she was safe. She shared that her parents will support our relationship but they would need time as they are having discussions with a counsellor. Even though she sounds convincing, I doubt she is telling the truth. In the video, you can see her mother sitting next to her, giving her looks. I knew she was scared by the looks of her face.” Apart from the video, Adhila had no contact with Noora then.
Since she wasn’t able to communicate with Noora, Adhila put up an FB post. After which, her family members threatened her to take it down. She also received a call from Noora. She was in the presence of her family and a counsellor named Ali. She told me to take down the FB post stating that her family promised to support their relationship. Adhila shared, “I told her to ask her mother why she wasn’t given her phone if they supported our relationship. When she asked them, her mother said that the CI and an uncle asked her not to. Noora is not the kind of person who would not ask these questions. I am sure she didn’t feel safe to ask without me by her side.”
Adhila spoke to Ali too, asking him if she could meet Noora. But he was beating around the bush and avoiding giving real answers. She shared, “He was just condescending. He wasn’t giving answers to my questions. Later when Noora was given the phone, she pinpointed that she was in a clinic run by counsellor Ali in the Malappuram district. When she used the word “Manasilayille?”, I knew she just wanted to be rescued from there. In our normal conversations, she would never use that word.”
She further added, “From the conversation, I know the family is planning on doing something. She was giving me indirect hints throughout. She’s been agreeing to their taunts just to feel safe but I know she isn’t.”
Adhila Nassrin is convinced that Fathima Noora is missing. She hasn’t been able to contact her since. Volunteers from the Vanaja Collective and police officials are trying to help her out. All she appeals to us is to help her spread the news so that she can rejoin Noora and live a life with her.
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