17-Year-Old Girl Saved From Child Marriage In Hyderabad, 42-Year-Old Groom Among 5 Booked

Hyderabad police have foiled the marriage of a 17-year-old girl to a 42-year-old man in the Kalapathar area, registering a case against the groom and four others under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The girl has since enrolled in a degree college to pursue higher education, police said.

The incident came to light on October 2, when police received information around 6.30 pm that a minor girl was being married at Biryani Shah Tekri in Kalapathar. Acting swiftly, personnel from Kalapathar police station, along with the Charminar Zone task force and women police personnel, raided the venue and discovered that the wedding ceremony was already underway.

The groom, identified as Arif Ali Baig, 42, is a resident of Jahanuma in Falaknuma. According to police, he reportedly works as a cab driver in Dubai.

Police intervened before the marriage could proceed and immediately halted the ceremony. The Child Marriage Helpline was subsequently informed, and a formal complaint was received, paving the way for legal action against those allegedly involved in arranging the wedding.

A case was registered at Kalapathar police station under Section 10 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, against Baig, Qazi Mohd Jahangir, mediator Shaheen and the minor girl's parents.

Police said the timely intervention helped safeguard the girl's rights and allowed her to continue her education.