Child Marriage Case in Bengaluru: Uncle Arrested for Arranging 14-Year-Old Girl's Marriage in Sarjapura, Eight Absconding
A 14-year-old girl was rescued from a forced marriage by her mother, who lodged a police complaint against the girl’s relatives and the groom’s family on Monday night.
Bengaluru, February 20: A 14-year-old girl was rescued from a forced marriage by her mother, who lodged a police complaint against the girl’s relatives and the groom’s family on Monday night. The Sarjapura police have arrested the girl’s paternal uncle, Srinivas, and are on the lookout for eight others, including the girl’s grandmother and the 25-year-old groom.
According to the New Indian Express report, the girl, a Class 8 student, was sent to her grandmother’s house in Sarjapura by her parents, who were struggling to make ends meet. The girl’s father, a daily wage labourer, had lost his job eight months ago and had taken to alcoholism. The girl’s mother, who ran a tea shop, was unaware of the marriage plans hatched by the girl’s relatives. Bengaluru Shocker: Man Abused, Brutally Thrashed For Demanding Liquor at MRP; Case Registered.
Child Marriage Foiled in Bengaluru
The police said that on Thursday, the girl’s grandmother and other relatives took her to a temple in Sarjapura and married her off to a 25-year-old man who owns a hair-dressing outlet. The groom’s parents, who are residents of Hoskote, were also present at the ceremony.
Victim's Mother Lodges Complaint
The girl managed to escape from the temple and reached her mother’s house at night. Her mother was shocked to see her wearing a mangalsutra, a symbol of marriage, and asked her what had happened. The girl then narrated the ordeal to her mother, who immediately contacted the police. Bengaluru: Software Engineer Duped of Rs 48,000 While Trying to Book Sex Worker, Case Registered.
Mallikarjun Baladandi, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Rural district, said, “We have registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act against the accused. We have arrested Srinivas and are conducting raids to nab the others. We have also rescued the girl and sent her for medical examination. She will be counselled and provided with the necessary support.”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 04:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).