Minor girl forcibly married twice, kept confined

Victim rescued from Mahipalpur last week; police probing trafficking angle

: A 17-year-old girl from Anand Parbat — forcibly married off to two strangers in a span of less than three months, allegedly by a relative and other members of a human trafficking gang — has been reunited with her family.

The victim was rescued on November 20, when the police conducted a raid at the house of her second husband in Mahipalpur, where she had been allegedly kept confined. It was earlier this week that she managed to escape from his clutches for some time and contact a friend, who informed her family. The latter then informed the police.

Tricked

According to Rishi Kant from NGO Shakti Vahini, which intervened in the raid, the girl’s ordeal started on August 9, when her neighbour Meenu and one of her uncles took her with them on the pretext of visiting a nearby temple and forcibly married her off to a man.

“A month after her marriage, the husband committed suicide, the reasons behind which she has not disclosed,” said Mr. Kant.

In October, Meenu again forced the girl to marry.

Tortured

“Soon after the marriage, the man started torturing her regularly. Not only would he thrash her but also establish physical relations with her without consent. This went on for nearly a month, said Mr. Kant.

The girl’s statement is now being recorded before the Child Welfare Committee. The police said she was not aware of the other members of the network her uncle and Meenu were a part of or how much money they had received in both the deals.

A case under sections 376 (rape), 363 (kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.) and 366 A (1[366A. procuration of minor girl.—whoever, by any means whatsoever, induces any minor girl under the age of eighteen years to go from any place or to do any act with intent that such girl may be, or knowing that it is likely that she will be, forced or seduced to illicit intercourse) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has also been registered. “Efforts are on to trace the husband and the other members of the racket,” said a police officer.