Relatives forcefully marry 17-year-old girl to 22-year-old man, rescued by police

She was being taken to Agra by her ‘husband’ when she discreetly informed a CNG pump worker about her ordeal following which he dialled the emergency helpline number and police reached the spot and rescued her

The Greater Noida police on Monday arrested three people who were allegedly forcing a 17-year-old girl to get married to another man, police said on Monday.

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The 17-year-old girl discreetly informed a CNG pump worker about her ordeal following which he dialled the emergency helpline number and police reached the spot and rescued her, said senior officers.

Child marriage is banned by law in India. According to the law, any marriage where the woman and man is below the age of 18 and 21, respectively , is deemed a child marriage. Most child marriages involve girls, many of whom are poor socio-economic conditions, said child welfare experts.

According to Sumit Shukla, assistant commissioner of police-1, the girl is an orphan, and lived with her brother and sister-in-law in Gurugram.

“The girl’s sister-in-law Saloni fixed her marriage with a 22-year-old resident of Agra, identified as Jaydev. On Monday, the girl was brought to Chipyana village in Greater Noida by Saloni and Jaydev and his relatives Ajay and Babita Sharma also joined them. The victim was forced to exchange garlands with Jaydev, following which it was decided that the remaining ceremonies will be completed in Agra,” said the ACP.

The girl was handed over to Jaydev and his relatives, who left for Agra immediately, Shukla said.

“Around 7pm on Monday, the car they were travelling in ran low on fuel and so they stopped at a CNG pump in Ecotech-3. The victim excused herself from the car to use the washroom and discreetly informed a worker there that she was being forced to marry. The worker dialled the emergency helpline number and a police patrol vehicle reached the spot,” said Shukla.

The police officers, including a woman constable, took the statement of the minor child.

“The girl told us that she was being forced to marry the man. The police took Jaydev, Babita and Ajay into police custody and registered an FIR against them, under sections of kidnapping and criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code,” said Shukla.

The minor girl was produced before the child welfare committee (CWC), Gautam Budh Nagar.

“Since the girl’s parents have died and she does not want to go back to her brother and his wife, she has been sent to the shelter home in Sector 33,” said a CWD official.