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The case includes charges related to orchestrating illegal marriages of minors. (Representative image from AP)
The groom's name is Sudhir Kumar, and the agent plans to send the girl to Uttar Pradesh immediately after the wedding.
In a disturbing case of child marriage in Kodma, Jharkhand, a minor girl was arranged to marry a man twice her age in exchange for money. The incident involved the parents of a 16-year-old girl who arranged for her to marry a 35-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, with an agent assisting in the arrangement.
The wedding was arranged to be held at a temple 42 kilometers away from the village. The groom's name is Sudhir Kumar, and the agent plans to send the girl to Uttar Pradesh immediately after the wedding.
However, Deputy Commissioner Megha Bhardwaj and Inspector General of Police Anudeep Singh quickly realized the situation. Subsequently, BDO Bhola Pandey and female police station in-charge Pinky Rani were assigned to investigate the matter.
After investigation, it was discovered that the girl was missing from her home. When BDO visited the girls' school and asked the principal, she was shocked. The girl's mother told the school her daughter had left school because her grandfather was ill.
Subsequently, the police began to search for the girl with the assistance of local villagers. They successfully rescued her from the home of a resident of the village. Meanwhile, Sudhir Kumar, a groom from Uttar Pradesh, fled the village with the help of an agent before police arrived.
During further investigation, the girl's parents initially provided misleading statements about their daughter's marriage plans. However, a search of the father's phone revealed photos of the arrangement, leading to the parents' arrest.
The Block Development Officer (BDO) filed a case against 12 people, including the minor's parents, agents and other relatives involved in the league. The case includes charges related to orchestrating illegal marriages of minors.
Reports said that when the marriage was finalized, the girl's parents received Rs 11,000 in cash and some jewelery as part of the arrangement, and an additional Rs 5,000 was due after the marriage. The broker, who had been providing protection to the groom, played a crucial role in brokering the deal.
