Kolkata, Aug. 31 -- Kolkata Police arrested three persons, including a woman, and rescued a minor girl who had allegedly been married in violation of the law, police sources said. The girl's father, husband and mother-in-law were arrested on Sunday night.
According to sources, the girl had left her home in Nodakhali, South 24-Parganas, around 45 days ago to marry a youth from Haridevpur. Her father was allegedly aware of the marriage but did not report her disappearance or lodge a complaint of kidnapping with the local police.
It was learnt that the father had been trying to get the monthly financial aid meant for the girl under a state-run girl-child welfare scheme.
The illegal arrangement hit a roadblock recently when authorities mandated a physical verification of the beneficiary at her parental home. Desperate to get the money, the father repeatedly threatened and pressured his minor daughter to return home temporarily for the physical check.
However, the minor refused to return home for the purpose.
Fearing the loss of government funds, the father allegedly approached an NGO with a false claim that his daughter had been forced into marriage. The NGO alerted Haridevpur police, who acted promptly.
Haridevpur police rescued the minor from her in-laws' house on Sunday.
Interrogation allegedly revealed that her father had concealed the marriage for nearly 45 days to exploit a government scheme. A case was registered under POCSO and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. The girl was sent to a shelter home and three persons arrested.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.