13-Year-Old Tribal Girl Forcibly Married and Sexually Assaulted in Maharashtra: Five Arrested

In a disturbing case from Maharashtra's Palghar district, police have arrested five individuals after a 13-year-old tribal girl was forcibly married and subsequently raped.

The minor victim filed a complaint stating that her grandfather had arranged her marriage to a man from Ahilyanagar in September last year. Following the forced marriage, the girl reported being subjected to repeated sexual assault by her husband while also facing mental harassment from his parents.

A police official confirmed, "We have taken five people into custody, including a family member of the victim, on charges related to forced marriage, human trafficking, and sexual assault of a minor. This case spans multiple jurisdictions, and we are coordinating our investigative efforts to ensure all perpetrators face appropriate legal consequences."

The authorities have filed charges under multiple legal frameworks including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The case highlights the continuing problem of child marriage and sexual exploitation in rural Maharashtra despite legal protections designed to prevent such crimes.