At a time when debate is raging over gay marriages, the police in Chhattisgarh are perplexed over an apparent lesbian love triangle. Malti, a woman in her late twenties, approached the Chakradhar Nagar police station in Raigarh on Tuesday to lodge a complaint against another woman Santoshi, whom she described as her husband, alleging that she has been a victim of domestic violence .

“Both of us lived happily together for seven years. I consider Santoshi as my husband. She is now flirting with another woman, Revti,” Malti told the police alleging that Santoshi deserted her and stayed with Revti for a couple of months. She said Santoshi later returned and began harassing her so as to force her out of their house. Malti wants either her ‘husband’ to return to her or pay her ‘alimony’.

According to the police, Santoshi and Malti met at the former’s tailoring shop. Santoshi even purchased some property in Malti’s name, but wants it back after the break-up.

Santoshi was summoned to the police station where the partners levelled allegations against each other. Chhattisgarh High Court’s senior advocate Kanak Tiwari said: “As per existing civil and marriage laws, there is no way one could claim any alimony or compensation in the event of break-up of a same sex relationship.”