Mobile phones banned for unmarried girls in India

A village council (or gram panchayat) in Indian town of Muzaffarnagar has banned the unmarried girls from using mobile phones. The council feels the move will prevent the girls from running away with their boyfriends.

The council met to discuss the 'bad effects' of mobile phones on youngsters and passed the order.

"The panchayat has imposed a ban on the usage of mobile phones by unmarried girls to prevent them from eloping with young boys against the wishes of their parents," panchayat spokesman Rajender Malick told the Indian media.