Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The case registered under Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in Kajlikheda has taken a new turn, with the girl’s family now claiming that no marriage took place and that the viral video merely shows an engagement ceremony.
According to the family of the minor girl, the incident occurred during the wedding of her elder sister in Mahabadia village. They stated that the girl and the youth insisted on exchanging garland as part of an informal engagement and no marriage rituals were performed.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media showing the minor girl placing a garland around the youth’s neck, prompting women and child development department to file a complaint. Kajlikheda police registered an FIR against three individuals identified as girl’s father Rajendranath, youth Deepak and his father Jagdishnath.
Documents indicate the girl is around 15 years old, below the legal age of 18, while the youth is reportedly 21. Kajlikheda police station incharge Pallavi Pandey said that the minor girl was found safe at her home and that further investigation was underway to verify the exact nature of ceremony.
