Indore: The Rau police in Indore have registered a case against 13 individuals, including the groom, his relatives, and the paternal grandparents of a 13-year-old girl, for allegedly orchestrating her forced marriage to a 42-year-old man, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Family Arrangement Led to Forced Marriage
According to Rajnish Sinha, district programme officer for the Indore women and child development department, the marriage was part of a conditional family arrangement. The girl's grandparents were seeking a bride for their 19-year-old grandson, and the prospective bride agreed only on the condition that the 13-year-old sister-in-law be married to her 42-year-old maternal uncle.
The girl's father is deceased, and her mother has remarried, leaving the siblings in the care of their paternal grandparents in the Rangwasa area, police said.
Previous Intervention and Secret Ceremony
Officials from the Women and Child Development (WCD) department's flying squad had previously intervened after receiving a tip-off about the planned wedding. They counseled both families on April 25, and the families provided a written undertaking that the ceremony would be canceled.
However, the marriage was secretly solemnized the following night at a location near the Chintaman Ganesh temple in Ujjain. Under the same arrangement, the 19-year-old brother was also married. After the ceremony, the newlywed siblings were dropped back at Rangwasa, while the 42-year-old groom returned to his village, Dayakheda (Sanwer).
Forged Documents and Further Investigation
Police revealed that forged school marksheets were allegedly prepared to show the minors as adults. The education department is conducting a separate investigation into the alleged document manipulation.
The case came to light after the girl's grandmother allegedly assaulted her for refusing to move to her husband's house. The girl's mother then intervened and filed a complaint with the Child Welfare Committee.
Police have booked the accused under relevant sections of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Additional charges related to forgery will be added after the education department's investigation concludes.
