Singrauli: Panchayat forces minor to marry his 32-year-old ‘paramour’

Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh): A panchayat in Singrauli district has allegedly forced a minor boy to get married with his 32-year-old ‘girl-friend’.

Though the incident took place at Khutar village under Kotwali police station of the district on May 8, it came to light recently when the boy's father approached superintendent of police (SP), Singrauli, Virendra Singh and lodged a complaint.

Father’s claimed that the village Panchayat forced his son to the woman. The boy’s father also accused the woman that she along with his son had escaped from the house with cash, gold and silver jewelry.

According to sources, the family members of the boy had fixed the marriage of the boy somewhere else. When the woman, with whom the boy was in a relationship for past one year, came to know, she reached his house and created a ruckus on May 8.

The woman, who was divorced before marrying the boy, claimed that she was pregnant. Later, Panchayat was called.

Sources said that the Panchayat heard both sides and then asked boy to get married. While both woman and boy’s family members were against the marriage.

The woman and boy went missing after a few days of their marriage.

When contacted in-charge of Kotwali police station Arun Pandey said that a probe was being done following the complaint of the minor's father and action would be taken against those found involved in ‘force marriage’.