Ludhiana youth booked for impregnating, marrying 15-year-old cousin

Minor girl gave birth to a boy in 2019; matter came to fore on panchayat member’s complaint; FIR lodged on minister’s intervention

Minor girl gave birth to a boy in 2019; matter came to fore on panchayat member’s complaint

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Police are on the trail of a 20-year-old man, who raped and impregnated the minor daughter of his maternal uncle and later married her.

Following her sexual exploitation while living in the care of her paternal aunt, the 15-year-old girl had delivered a boy in 2019.

A case was registered against the accused, a resident of Navi Abadi of Akalgarh, on Tuesday, over a year after a panchayat member filed a police complaint against him and his parents.

According to the complainant, Rajinder Singh, the minor girl was living with her maternal aunt, her husband and their 20-year-old son when he raped and impregnated her. When her pregnancy came to light, his parents had him marry his cousin.

Singh alleged a Congress panchayat member also played a role in the minor girl’s marriage.

After the marriage, the girl gave birth to a baby boy.

After investigation, the police had forwarded the complaint to the child welfare department for further action.

When no action was taken, he filed a complaint with social security, women and child development minister Aruna Chaudhary and director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta. After the minister intervened, the police lodged an FIR against the accused on Tuesday.

Inspector Jasvir Singh, station house officer (SHO), Sudhar police station, said they had booked the girl’s cousin under Sections 10 (solemnising a child marriage) and 11 (promoting or permitting solemnisation of child marriages) of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and Section 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act.

He said more names and sections could be added to the FIR after recording the girl’s statement, adding that efforts were on arrest the accused.