Odisha Police rescue 15-year-old girl from groom’s house

JAGATSINGHPUR: Week after a minor’s marriage was stopped by the district administration, the 15-year-old girl was rescued from the house of the groom following a police raid.

This happened because the parents of the girl were unwilling to take her back on the grounds that the 'marriage rituals were completed'.

The minor girl, who hailed from Nalavedi village was handed over to her parents on Wednesday. Acting on a tip off, Balikuda police along with Childline officials reached the marriage spot and prevented her marriage to a 35-year-old man of Kankan Nasi village.

However, her parents refused to take the girl back fearing social stigma as the marriage rituals were completed.

Childline officials then kept the girl at a relative’s house in Kankan Nasi village after getting assurance from the parents that they would take her back after some days.

Nalavedi villagers later alleged that the girl had neither returned to her parent’s house nor was she at her relative’s place.

Fearing that the girl might have gone to the groom’s place since her parents had refused to take her back, they sought help.

Basing on the allegations, Child development project officer Manjulata Behera and Erasama police lodged an FIR and rescued the girl after raiding the house of the groom.

Chairperson of child welfare committee (CWC) Biseswari Mohanty said the victim was rescued and produced before the panel.

“While the parents were adamant on not taking their daughter back as she was already married, we counseled them and the girl returned to her parents on the day,” said Behera.