Indore (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 13 people have been booked for allegedly forcing a 13-year-old girl to marry a 42-year-old man in Indore's Rau on Thursday. Those booked on the charges of child marriage include-- 42-year-old 'groom', his family members, and the minor bride's grandparents.
According to officials of the Women and Child Development Department, the minor girl was allegedly forced into marriage by her grandfather after her father's demise.
District Programme Officer Rajneesh Sinha said the department had earlier received information about the proposed child marriage scheduled for April 25.
Following the tip-off, a team from the Women and Child Development Department intervened and stopped the marriage after counselling both families. The families had assured officials that the marriage would not take place.
However, Anganwadi workers and supervisors continued monitoring the girl after suspecting that the families were still attempting to conduct the marriage secretly.
According to Flying Squad In-charge Mahendra Pathak, the situation escalated after the wife of the girl’s brother allegedly imposed a condition that she would return to her matrimonial home only if the minor girl was married into her maternal uncle’s family.
Following this, the girl was allegedly pressured repeatedly by family members. The minor also alleged that her grandmother physically assaulted her for refusing to go to her in-laws’ house.
In her statement, the girl told officials that members of the groom’s family took her and her 19-year-old brother from Indore to Ujjain during the night to avoid administrative action.
There, outside a temple, both were made to wear bridal attire before the marriage rituals were allegedly performed at the famous Chintaman Ganesh Temple.
After the ceremony, the families reportedly dropped the girl back in Rangwasa, while the grooms returned home without their brides.
Police said documents, including allegedly forged marksheets prepared to show the girl as an adult, are also under investigation. Authorities stated that additional charges related to forgery and kidnapping of the minor may be added after the inquiry report is submitted.
