FIR against 13, including grandparents, for forcing girl, 13, to marry 42-year-old

Indore: Indore’s Rau police have registered a case against 13 persons, including a groom, his relatives and paternal grandparents of a 13-year-old girl, for allegedly arranging her forced marriage to a 42-year-old man, officials said on Thursday.

The marriage was part of a conditional family arrangement. The girl’s grandparents were looking for a bride for their 19-year-old grandson, and the prospective bride agreed only if the 13-year-old sister-in-law was also married to her 42-year-old maternal uncle, said district programme officer for Indore women and child development department Rajnish Sinha.

The girl’s father is dead and her mother has remarried, leaving the siblings in the care of their paternal grandparents in Rangwasa area, police said.

Officials said the WCD department’s flying squad had earlier intervened after receiving a tip-off about the proposed wedding and had counselled both families on April 25. The families had also given a written undertaking that the ceremony would be cancelled.

However, the marriage was solemnised secretly the next night at a location near Chintaman Ganesh temple in Ujjain. The 19-year-old brother was also married in the same arrangement, officials said. Following the ceremony, the newlywed siblings were dropped back at Rangwasa, while the 42-year-old groom returned to his village, Dayakheda (Sanwer).

Police said forged school marksheets were allegedly prepared to show the minors as adults. The education department is separately probing the alleged document manipulation.

The matter surfaced 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. Further charges related to forgery will be added upon the completion of the education department’s probe.