Outrage grips Jharkhand after a 13-year-old girl was thrust into a forced marriage with a 55-year-old man by her mother, who then fled with her boyfriend. The father’s timely return from outstation work foiled the plot, pulling his daughter from months of abuse in Palamu.
Details from the Navajaypur police jurisdiction reveal the mother’s deception: she falsely claimed the father’s death in Surat to manipulate the child into marrying Bishrampur’s Prabhakar Kumar Mishra two months prior. Mishra confined her in a Shriram Path rental in Medininagar.
Upon arriving home and finding her gone, the father launched a desperate search, successfully retrieving her. The girl’s emotional recounting of the trauma and maternal conspiracy spurred swift law enforcement response.
Under SP Reeshma Rameshan’s guidance, Sadar thana police arrested Mishra, liberated the minor, and referred her to the Child Welfare Committee for counseling and care. Grave charges under POCSO Act, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and kidnapping provisions have been registered.
Police continue pursuits for the errant mother, whose actions have devastated her family. This incident amplifies concerns over underage unions and parental irresponsibility, fueling demands for stricter enforcement and awareness campaigns.
The resilient father’s actions have inspired widespread admiration, while support networks mobilize for the girl’s long-term well-being. As investigations deepen, Palamu pledges zero tolerance for child exploitation.