In a shocking case of child marriage, the Tibba police in Ludhiana have registered an FIR against a woman from Amritsar and eight others for allegedly marrying off her 11-year-old daughter to a 35-year-old man. The incident came to light after the child’s father, Jagjeet Singh, an auto-rickshaw driver from Bhai Manjh Singh Nagar in Amritsar, discovered photos of the wedding on a WhatsApp status update.
According to the police, the girl’s mother, Kamaljeet Kaur, had taken their daughter to Ludhiana a few days earlier under the pretext of visiting her parental home. However, she allegedly arranged her marriage with a man named Prince, a resident of Samrala Road in Ludhiana. The ceremony reportedly took place in the presence of several family members and acquaintances of the groom.
Jagjeet Singh, who was unaware of the arrangement, was horrified when he saw the wedding pictures on Kaur’s WhatsApp status. He immediately approached the local police in Amritsar and lodged a complaint, which was then forwarded to the Ludhiana police for jurisdictional action.
Based on the complaint, the Tibba police registered a case under Sections 9 and 10 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Those named in the FIR include the bride’s mother Kamaljeet Kaur; the groom Prince; his parents Anoop Singh and Raj Rani; and relatives Sukhwinder Singh and his wife. Assistant Sub-Inspector Baljeet Singh, the investigating officer, confirmed that the complaint was received on May 26 and that an FIR had been filed against all individuals involved.
“No arrests have been made yet. The matter is under active investigation and we are verifying the roles of each of the accused,” said ASI Baljeet Singh.
The case has sparked concern among child rights activists, who have called for swift and strict action to deter such practices. Authorities have reiterated that child marriage is a punishable offence under Indian law and vowed to take the investigation to its logical end.