Police may contact a missing adult woman but cannot force her to go home, Kerala High Court rules

26 October 2026

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas decided WP(C) No. 31584 of 2026, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 589. The petitioner said her marriage had been arranged without her consent, that she left the matrimonial home to continue her studies and later left her parental home as well, and that the police kept calling her to the station after her mother complained that she was missing. The Government Pleader said a case had been registered under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act, 2011. The Court held that police contacting a missing adult to complete an investigation is not harassment. It also held that because she is an adult she can decide for herself, and that neither her parents nor the police can interfere with that freedom or compel her to return home. The Court directed that the registered crime be taken to its logical conclusion and that the petitioner appear before the Station House Officer so that her presence and her wishes are recorded.