Minor served legal notice on sexual duties

A 16 year old girl in Hyderabad, who returned home after being forced to marry a man, approached the police complaining about the issue. But upon police saying that, they cannot take action without a complaint as child marriage is “not automatically illegal.”

The helpless girl then approached the child rights activists for the support. The girl who was preparing to write 10 class exams last year, was forced to marry a cousin, who was 20 years older. The girl’s family claimed that her aunt was dying and would like to see her son married.

The girl agreed to the marriage upon one condition that she should be allowed to sit for her exams and study further. The girl, after her exams, was sent to her husband’s home, where she was allegedly assaulted almost daily - physically and sexually.

Unable to tackle this, the girl came back to her parents, who then asked her husband’s family to return Rs.1 lakh dowry and gold given to them. The girl was then sent a notice.

The girl then contacted Anuradha, who is part of a government-run social action group. She called a Panchayat meeting with village elders for both sides to try and resolve the fight.

"But the husband turned up with two lawyers and said instead of returning money to her parents, he would pay lawyers,'' Anuradha said.

Achyutha Rao, a Child Rights Commission member, on the other side, said it was unfortunate that a minor girl was being served legal notice on sexual duties. "The accused is not being booked. Instead, a legal notice has been sent to this 15-year-old girl for restitution of conjugal rights. We are going to file a criminal case against the lawyer," Mr Rao said.

The lawyer later alleged that, he was not aware that the girl is a minor. The girl is unwilling to go back to her husband and is keen to continue her studies.

Legal experts say the girl must move court within one year to get the marriage annulled.