The Kerala High Court on Tuesday questioned the authority of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to direct the Kerala Police to hand over the woman, popularly known as the 'Kumbh Mela girl', to the Madhya Pradesh Police.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas asked under what authority the Commission had issued such a direction. "What is the right of this National Commission for passing any orders? How can the National Commission issue such a direction?" the judge orally observed.

The court directed that the woman should not be removed from Kerala or handed over to the Madhya Pradesh Police without its permission until the disposal of her petition seeking police protection.

"The first respondent is directed to instruct the jurisdictional police officer, including the Commissioner of Police, Kochi City, to ensure that she is not removed from the jurisdictional limits without orders of this court and against her will until disposal of the writ petition," the court said in its interim order.

The court also directed the police to provide immediate protection if the woman faces any imminent threat to her life. It clarified that as she was in hiding due to threats, she could contact the woman protection officer assigned to her, who would ensure immediate police assistance.

The order was passed after the court found prima facie merit in the woman's contention that she continued to face threats to her life following her interfaith marriage to an actor.

During the hearing, the court took note of a letter from the Kerala Police informing its registry that the NCST had directed the State police to hand over the woman to the Madhya Pradesh Police. The Commission had reportedly issued the direction on a petition filed by a social worker raising concerns over the woman's interfaith marriage and alleging that she was a minor at the time of the marriage.

Justice Thomas also took exception to the police communicating the matter directly to the court registry instead of informing the court through the Government Pleader.

"Tell your officer, how dare he write? This should have been brought to the notice of the court through the Government Pleader. Does he expect this court to act on a letter of the police?" the judge remarked.

The woman's counsel submitted that she continued to face threats and argued that forcing her to return to Madhya Pradesh could expose her to the risk of an honour killing. The counsel also said the woman had not been served with any order issued by the NCST.

Reiterating that the woman was 18 years and three months old at the time of her marriage, her counsel said the age had been verified by a court in Madhya Pradesh. It was further submitted that her original birth certificate was subsequently cancelled without her knowledge and that the cancellation was under challenge before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Finding prima facie merit in the woman's submissions, the Kerala High Court ordered the authorities to continue providing her police protection and directed that she should not be handed over to any person without its permission.

The woman came into national spotlight after videos of her selling prayer beads at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela went viral. She later married an actor in Kerala. The marriage sparked controversy after allegations surfaced that she was a minor at the time of the marriage, a claim both the woman and her husband have consistently denied.