LUCKNOW: Three days after a child marriage was solemnised involving a 16-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man at a local temple in Basti district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, police have booked six individuals under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. The incident took place under the jurisdiction of Munderwa police station, specifically at the Kali Mata temple in Padri village.
According to local sources, the groom was detained for questioning, and the temple priest came under scrutiny for allegedly conducting the ceremony despite the bride being underage, in clear violation of the law.
Official reports state that the marriage took place on the night of 24 August at approximately 10pm. The minor girl, identified as Shivangi Gaur (16), was married to Nitesh Gaur (21), a resident of Gulriya Sirma village. The ceremony was officiated by temple priest Purushottam Mishra, with the consent of the girl’s family.
The case came to light following a complaint by Jagai, son of Gangaram, who serves as the village watchman in Padri. In his complaint, Jagai flagged the marriage as illegal due to the girl’s age and urged authorities to take immediate action against all involved.
Police said action was taken under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and a case was lodged under Sections 9, 10, and 11 of the Act. Those named in the FIR include the groom Nitesh Gaur, his parents Rakesh Gaur and Sunita Devi, the bride’s parents Phoolchand Gaur and Chouna Devi, and priest Purushottam Mishra.
Authorities confirmed that the case was registered only after verifying the complaint. A police team recorded statements from villagers and visited the temple to corroborate details. Their investigation confirmed that the girl was indeed a minor at the time of the marriage, which took place privately in the presence of only the couple’s parents, with no extended relatives or guests invited.
Superintendent of Police, Basti, Abhinandan, stated that child marriage is a punishable offence and urged the public to refrain from supporting such illegal practices. “The administration appeals to citizens to report any such incidents immediately so that prompt legal action can be taken,” he said.
The girl was subsequently produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which, after reviewing the case, directed that her custody be returned to her parents, said the Station Officer.
Further investigations are ongoing to fix accountability and ensure strict action is taken under the relevant provisions of the law.