Minor girl married off to 57-yr-old widower

RAJAHMUNDRY: In clear violation of child rights and Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, a minor girl was forcibly married off to a 57-year-old man in a temple here on Thursday by her parents. The bridegroom, the girl's mother and two others were arrested by police late in the evening for the 'unholy' marriage.
Bridegroom P Balagangadhara Tilak, a mechanical helper with APSRTC at Rajahmundry depot married Gudivada Jyothi, 17, at the Satyanarayana Murthy Swamy temple in Aryapuram in the morning.With the word spreading that Tilak had married a minor girl, police entered the scene and brought the 'couple' back from the groom's Kovvuru home in the evening. While the shocked girl fumbled for words, police said the girl was coerced into the marriage by her parents and relatives.
DSP Ch Harshavardhana Rao said they had verified the school records of Jyothi, who stopped her studies after finishing seventh standard. "We have found out that she is only 17 years old and have booked a case against the village revenue officer for certifying her age as 20," he said.