A disturbing case of child marriage emerged in Jharkhand’s Koderma, where a marital alliance of a minor girl was arranged with a man twice her age in exchange for money. The incident involved the parents of a 16-year-old girl who arranged her marriage to a 35-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, with a broker facilitating the arrangement.
The marriage was arranged to take place in a temple located 42 kilometres away from the village. The groom, identified as Sudhir Kumar, and the broker had planned to transport the girl to Uttar Pradesh immediately after the wedding.
However, Deputy Commissioner Megha Bhardwaj and Superintendent of Police Anudeep Singh soon became aware of the situation. Subsequently, BDO Bhola Pandey and the women police station in-charge Pinky Rani were assigned to investigate the matter.
During their investigation, it was found that the girl was missing from her home. When the BDO visited the girl’s school and questioned the principal, he was taken aback. The girl’s mother had informed the school that her daughter had left because her grandfather was ill.
The police then initiated a search for the girl with the assistance of local villagers. They successfully rescued her from the home of a resident in the village. Meanwhile, the groom, Sudhir Kumar, who had come from Uttar Pradesh, had fled the village with the help of a broker before the police arrived.
During further investigation, the girl’s parents initially provided misleading statements about their daughter’s marriage plans. However, a search on the father’s mobile phone revealed photographs of the arrangement, leading to the arrest of the parents.
The Block Development Officer (BDO) filed a case against 12 individuals, including the minor’s parents, the broker, and other relatives involved in the alliance. The case included charges related to the planning of an illegal marriage of a minor.
Reports indicate that the girl’s parents received Rs 11,000 in cash along with some jewellery when the alliance was fixed, and an additional Rs 5,000 was due post-marriage as part of the arrangement. The broker, who had been protecting the groom, played a crucial role in facilitating the transaction.
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