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Sri Lankan woman marries Telugu Facebook friend from Chittoor

Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh), July 31 (PTI) Amid several cross-border marriages in India, one such event took place in Andhra Pradesh too, when a Sri Lankan woman married a man from Chittoor district recently, police said on Monday.

Vikneshwariy Sivakumara (25), a Sri Lankan national, who arrived in India on July 14 married D Lakasamanudu (24) on July 15, police said. Lakasamanudu belongs to Arimakula Palli village.

According to the police, the couple got in touch through Facebook, fell in love and then went on to marry.

Sivakumara and Lakasamanudu's marriage took place at Sai Baba temple in Venkatagirikota village, a local police official told PTI on Monday. Following the marriage, the couple tried to apply for an Aadhaar card for Sivakumara at a local enrollment centre, prompting officials to become suspicious and alert the police, Chittoor superintendent of police Y Rishant Reddy said.

Reddy noted that Sivakumara arrived in India on a 30-day tourist visa but was planning to live in India. Police therefore issued a notice to her saying she must obtain a one-year visa to stay in India or return when her tourist visa expires.

Reddy said the woman had subsequently applied to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for a longer visa on the basis of their marriage. The marriage certificate has been submitted for the purpose.

In the event that Sivakumara is denied a one-year visa, Reddy said she would have to return to Sri Lanka when her tourist visa expires on August 15 and then travel back to India again.

Sivakumara, whose passport mentions her profession as housemaid, had told her family members that she was going on a tour and came to Andhra Pradesh to get married.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)