BHOPAL: A case of child marriage has been reported in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh, two months after the marriage of the 8-year-old boy was solemnized with a 7-year-old girl.
Eleven persons, including the parents of the minor girl, family members of the boy and the priest who solemnized the illegal marriage have been booked under the provisions of The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006. Six of the accused have been detained by police at Fatehgarh police station of Guna district – 150 km from state capital Bhopal.
Importantly, the shocking episode happened in Guna district, whose minister in-charge Imarti Devi, herself is Madhya Pradesh’s women and child development minister.
According to sources at Guna district’s Fatehgarh police station the child marriage was solemnized in June this year in Marwara village with consent of both families who hail from the Gurjar community.
But it came to the fore, when the girl’s family complained to police recently about the boy’s family harassing them for money. After the marriage, the girl is still living with her parents.
“After the matter came to light, the police probed the matter and it was confirmed that the eight-year old boy was married to a year younger girl in June. A case under Section 10 and Section 11 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 has been registered against 11 persons, including the girl’s parents, boy’s family members and the priest who solemnized the child marriage two months back. Six accused have been detained by police, while search is under away for five other accused,” additional SP-Guna TS Baghel told The New Indian Express.
Child marriage was outlawed in India in 1929 through The Child Marriage Restraint Act, also called the Sarda Act. The central government brought the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) in 2006, which came into effect on November 1, 2007. Under the provisions of the 2006 law, those found guilty of conducting or being party to the child marriage can be punished with up to two years imprisonment or a fine.