Cops foil 16-year-old girl’s marriage in Beed, register FIR against 68

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Beed police on Thursday foiled a 16-year-old girl's marriage at Kapildhar Devasthan in the district and registered a case under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, against eight identified people and 60 unidentified wedding attendees, temple trustees and members. Beed superintendent of police Navneet Kanwat said, "We appeal to citizens to inform the police if they come across such incidents."The police produced the minor girl before the Child Welfare Committee, Beed, for her care and protection. "Acting on a tip-off from social activist Tatvashil Kamble at 11.30am, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) swung into action after learning that the minor girl was to be married at noon on the temple premises. AHTU in-charge Police Sub-Inspector Pallavi Jadhav, along with her team and Kamble, rushed to the spot," an officer said.When the team reached the venue, multiple weddings were under way. The police entered one of the halls and questioned a woman about the bride's identity. While the woman initially gave incorrect details, she later disclosed the correct surname, raising suspicion. "As we moved to take custody of the girl, members of the wedding suspected police and panic ensued. The groom fled the spot," police said.Despite the heavy crowd, the AHTU team safely took custody of the minor girl. PSI Jadhav stopped people who attempted to flee and briefed them about the legal provisions and consequences under the Child Marriage Prohibition Act. The girl was counselled and taken into confidence, during which she stated that her marriage was solemnised with Rajendra Bhausaheb Shinde (24), a resident of Pimpalachi Wadi in Shirur Kasar taluka of Beed district. As the girl's parents, maternal uncle, groom and his parents absconded, police detained the groom's uncle and relatives and produced them before Beed Rural police station for further action. Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, Shriram Veer, gram panchayat officer of Pali, was called to the police station.