Marriage of a minor girl to a 38-year-old person with disablity (PWD) was thwarted at the last minute inside a temple in Mailardevpally when locals from the locality along with police and members of an NGO intervened and rescued her. The girl — a bright student who just passed her Class 10 board exams — was promised to the man after her parents failed to pay rent to his parents for months. The mother of the child, however, maintained that it was her decision and claimed full consent of the girl. 

According to the police, the child who just passed her 10th grade was married to a 38-year-old man, who is also the owner of the house they live in. Ramesh Gupta, the groom, is paralysed and is dependent on three people to move from one place to another. The Mailardevpally police booked the groom and his parents under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. While it is a crime as per the Act, a visibly distressed mother of the child told Express that it was her decision. Her daughter too did it wilfully. 

In a panic-struck tone, the mother shared that it is unfair to book a case against Gupta and his family. “We have three children and we came to the city in 2001. We have no means to educate them. Gupta, on the other hand, has always been helpful to our family and never looked at us as tenants. I wanted to get my daughter married to him as a favour to all he has done for us,” she said. She also said that by booking a case against the groom, they are maligning their family’s name. “I approached them and not the other way round. In fact, Gupta asked me several times if I was sure. My husband was, however, reluctant,” she added. 

With no family to care for them even back home, where on several occasions they were asked to leave and not allowed to enter the door, the mother thought that this was the best she could give her daughter. “Gupta’s family had only one condition that the wedding should take place as soon as possible. They feared that there is a chance she could choose someone else. For this reason, we married her off,” the mother further said.

Meanwhile, an unknown person tipped off the Mailardevpally police when the wedding was taking place in a temple. “As soon as we got information, we went to rescue the girl. The marriage had already taken place. Gupta’s family needed someone to take care of him,” informed P Jagadeeshwar, inspector, Mailardevpally police station. The girl has been shifted to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in the city by Child line officials.