A disturbing video from Karnataka’s Hosur shows a 14-year-old girl being forcibly taken by her husband and his brother after her family arranged her marriage to a 29-year-old man. Despite expressing dissatisfaction, the girl was ignored, and the wedding took place in Bengaluru on March 3. Following the incident, which captured public attention, police arrested her husband Madesh, his brother Mallesh, and her parents. They face charges under the POCSO and Child Marriage Acts, with potential penalties including jail time and fines. The girl is now safe with her grandparents, highlighting ongoing issues of child marriage in India.
Bengaluru:
A teenager was forcibly taken by a man, her cries echoing across the desolate fields. While another man and woman look on, they do not intervene. A video filmed in Hosur, Karnataka, has since gone viral on social media, culminating in the arrest of all four adults involved.
The victim is a 14-year-old girl from Thimmathur, a small village situated in the Thottamanju mountain region near Hosur in Tamil Nadu. After completing her education until Class 7 at a local school, she remained at home, a common occurrence in many rural areas of the country.
However, on March 3, her family arranged a marriage for her with Madesh, a 29-year-old laborer from the nearby mountain village of Kalikuttai. Her objections were ignored.
The wedding ceremony took place in Bengaluru.
Upon returning to her hometown of Thimmathur, the girl reiterated her discontent with the marriage and refused to move in with her in-laws. She communicated her concerns to her parents and relatives once again.
Yet again, her pleas went unheeded. Madesh and his elder brother Mallesh, 38, forcibly abducted her from a relative’s home, taking her to Kalikuttai village.
The incident, effectively a kidnapping, was captured on cellphone video by bystanders and shared on social media, where it gained significant attention.
The All-Women Police station in Denkanikottai has launched an investigation. A formal complaint has been submitted by the girl’s grandmother.
On Wednesday, law enforcement officials arrested Madesh, his brother Mallesh, and the girl’s mother, Nagamma. Earlier today, two additional arrests were made – the girl’s father and Mallesh’s wife.
Charges have been filed against all involved under various sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) and the Child Marriage Act. They each face up to two years in prison and a fine that could reach Rs 1 lakh.
The girl is currently residing with her grandparents.
Marriage for anyone under 18 is illegal under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and is deemed null and void.
This legislation also outlines penalties for various offenses related to permitting or conducting child marriages, especially involving minors marrying adults. Nonetheless, child marriage remains prevalent across India, particularly in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.
According to data for 2023-2024, authorities in Karnataka reported 180 instances of child marriages; 105 were successfully prevented, while police cases were filed in the remaining 75 occurrences.