‘Child marriage’ in UP village: Groom, families, temple priest booked

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Following this, a formal complaint was filed by the village chowkidar and a case was registered against those involved. (File)Three days after a minor girl was married to a 21-year-old man at a local temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district, police have registered a case against the groom and the parents of both the bride and groom for their alleged involvement in the illegal marriage.Sources said police have detained the groom for questioning. Officials said the temple priest, who is accused of allegedly conducting the ceremony despite the girl being underage, has also been booked.Photographs and videos of the wedding surfaced on social media, drawing public attention and prompting an official inquiry.Police said the action was initiated following a complaint that the girl was underage at the time of the marriage, making the ceremony a violation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. The families of the groom and bride are from the same caste.According to the police, they received the complaint regarding a ‘child marriage’ being solemnised in a village; a team was dispatched to verify the information. The team recorded the statements of local residents and also visited the temple where the wedding had taken place.During the probe, officials verified the details and confirmed that the girl was indeed a minor at the time of the marriage. It was also found that apart from the parents of the bride and groom, no other guests were present.Following this, a formal complaint was filed by the village chowkidar and a case was registered against those involved.Story continues below this ad“The girl was subsequently produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which, after reviewing the matter, directed that her custody be handed back to her parents,” said the Station Officer of the police station concerned.Authorities added that further investigation is being carried out to fix accountability and ensure strict action under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.Police officials confirmed that no arrests have been made in the case so far, and further investigation is underway to establish individual roles and responsibilities.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:child marriageUP