Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Women and Child Development Department stopped the child marriage of a 13-year-old girl with a 42-year-old man in the Rangwasa area, officials said on Thursday.
In connection with the case, Rau police registered an FIR against 13 persons, including the groom, his family members and the minor girl’s grandparents. The girl had lost her father and was allegedly forced into marriage by her grandfather.
District Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department, Rajneesh Sinha, said the incident took place because of family pressure and conditions set between relatives.
According to officials, the girl’s grandfather agreed to marry his granddaughter to the 42-year-old man in exchange for arranging a bride for his grandson.
The department had earlier received information about the planned child marriage on May 25 and had stopped the ceremony after counselling both families. The families had assured officials that the marriage would not take place.
However, officials later learned that the marriage had been conducted secretly. The girl’s sister-in-law allegedly pressured the family, saying she would return to her husband’s home only if the minor girl married her uncle. The girl was reportedly beaten by her grandmother when she resisted.
In her statement, the girl said she and her 19-year-old brother were taken from Indore to Ujjain at night. Outside a temple, they were dressed as bride and groom and later taken to Chintaman Ganesh Temple, where the marriage rituals were performed.
After the ceremony, the family from Dayakheda village dropped the girl and her brother back in Rangwasa, while the groom returned home alone.
The matter came to light after the girl’s mother filed a written complaint following the alleged assault on the child. Acting on the directions of the Child Welfare Committee, officials collected documents and approached senior police officers. Police have now started an investigation against all the suspects.
Officials also revealed that fake educational mark sheets were allegedly prepared to arrange the marriages of both the grandson and granddaughter. The Education Department is investigating the forged documents and further legal action will be taken after the report is submitted.
