Pune: 12-year-old forced into child marriage; family cite 'traditional customs'
Pune: In a shocking incident, under the name of citing traditional customs, a 12-year-old girl approached a social worker of the area and claiming her parents forced her to marry a boy a month ago.
Acting on this information, the social worker approached the Pune's twin city of Pimpri Chinchwad police commissionerate. Based on this, a First Information Report was filed with Bhosari police station against the girl's parent, 19-year-old bridegroom and his parent under the relevant sections of laws.
The incident took place at Indrayanagar in Bhosari area. A case was filed against them on Thursday. The marriage was fixed keeping in mind the COVID-19 situation and that no police will be there to look into an illegal marriage. So, they planned and executed the wedding a month prior.
Speaking to Sakal Times, police sub-inspector Pooja Kadam who is investigating the case, said, "The girl is a 12-year-old girl and is married to a 19-year-old boy from the same community. It seems it is part of their custom. Both marriages were fixed, which was opposed by the girl, but no one was ready to listen and the marriage was performed last month. The girl is currently at her maternal house. She approached a local social worker living in the area and spilt the beans about the incident."
She went on, "Based on which we approached nearby area people gathered a few pictures, and carried out a primary investigation and approached her parents. They confessed about the marriage, saying that these were community rituals and community head order. We have registered the case. As per the community head order, after the marriage, the girl will reside at her parents' house until she turns 18."
She added, "Even after the girl objected to the marriage, she was forced to marry against her will. After completing 18 years of age, she will be sent to her husband place. Her husband, too, is not working and is not well educated as well. We are investigating the case and registered the offence."
