A young girl has won the battle against child marriage with the help of a welfare trust in Jodhpur after living in terror for a decade, when her in-laws allegedly tried to kidnap her from her parents’ home. A family court annulled her marriage last week, holding that a childhood alliance could not be forced on her.
Pinki Tanwar, 19, a resident of Thanagazi in Alwar district, was married to Himmat Singh of Dausa at the age of 10.
As a child bride, she underwent mental torture when her husband visited her place frequently and kept on insisting on her ‘gauna’ (conjugal relationship).
When Pinki's mother, Meera Devi, came to know of the Jodhpur-based Saarthi Trust’s child marriage annulment campaign, she met its office-bearers for help. Around this time, Pinki’s in-laws tried to kidnap her from her house but she was saved with the help of neighbours.
Saarthi’s managing trustee Dr. Kriti Bharti called Pinki to Jodhpur and provided her protection and made her prepare for the pre-teacher eligibility test (PTET). Pinki cleared the examination and got admission in a college, where she is pursuing B.Ed.
Timely help
With the help of Dr. Bharti, Pinki filed a petition in the family court in Jodhpur in June last year seeking the annulment of her marriage. Dr. Bharti appeared for the girl in the court and submitted documents relating to her age and forceful child marriage.
Family court judge Rekha Bhargava passed an order on January 31 under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, declaring Pinki’s marriage null and void.
“Now that my so-called marriage is over, I will study hard and become a teacher,” Pinki said.
