Bihar’s Missing Minor Forcibly Married To Youth In Bhopal, Accused Held

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 16-year old girl was allegedly abducted and forcibly married to a man in the city. The victim approached police on Saturday after being harassed by her husband.

A case of rape and the POCSO Act has been registered and the accused has been arrested. The victim’s statement will be recorded before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on Monday, police officials said.

According to reports, the minor girl left her home in Saharsa district of Bihar after a domestic dispute in March last year and boarded a train. She met a couple during the journey who brought her to Bhopal.

Here they got her married to a youth who sexually assaulted her for over a year on pretext of the alleged marriage. However, the victim claimed that she was subjected to physical harassment and was forced into household labour.

After a dispute on Saturday, the victim approached Shahpura police and lodged a complaint against the youth. After registering an FIR, police arrested the youth on Sunday.

Police officials said the youth was being questioned further to learn about the couple who lured the girl to Bhopal.

Police suspect that the couple may have links to human trafficking network.

Police officials said that the minor girl’s parents have been informed and have been called to Bhopal. They admitted not lodging a missing person’s complaint at the concerned police station when the girl left home.