Runaway bride refuses to go home

The couple are expected to marry in a few days

A Kuwaiti girl who eloped to India with her lover has refused to go back home "under any circumstances".

Dhalal Aazmi, arrested on arrival in India on charges of doctoring her passport, was released on bail in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Monday, after her case won popular support in India.

Dhalal Aazmi is prepared to face all hardships for the sake of love

She ran away to India with her lover, Kader Pasha, who had been a driver working for her businessman father in Kuwait.

On orders from the state's chief minister, police did not oppose an appeal for bail lodged by Mr Pasha and the magistrate ordered Ms Aazmi's release.

Fear for life

Ms Aazmi was detained at Madras airport on 21 March on charges of travelling to India on a fake passport.

Ms Aazmi says her life is in danger

While being questioned she said if deported, she was likely to face severe consequences.

In an interview with the BBC, Ms Aazmi explained that her life was in danger in the hands of her domineering brothers who, she said, would not approve of her marriage to an Indian.

She denied having said that if deported, she would be stoned to death under Kuwaiti laws and denies her earlier claims that she was pregnant.

Love conquers all

She is now expected to marry her lover Kader Pasha, a poor farmer's son, within the next few days.

Ms Aazmi said she was prepared to face all hardships for the sake of love.

She only speaks Arabic, knows very little English and has no knowledge of any Indian languages.

Her interview with the BBC required Mr Pasha's help.

Questions put to her in English were translated into Telugu by an interpreter and Mr Pasha, a Telegu speaker, translated the questions into Arabic.

Ms Aazmi's replies were relayed in reverse.