Odisha: Bride elopes with boyfriend, groom marries minor sister

No case was registered against them.

A bride elopedwith her boyfriend leaving the groom waiting in Odisha'sKalahandi district, following which her 15-year-old youngersister was married off with the man.

The police rescued the girl from her in-laws' house aschild marriage is prohibited, a senior officer said onThursday.

The drama started when the bride from Malpada villageunder the jurisdiction of Jaipatna Police Station eloped withher boyfriend on Tuesday evening, a few hours before hermarriage with the 26-year-old groom, leaving her parents withno alternative but to convince the minor to marry him, theofficer said.

The girl, who was preparing for her Class 10examination, was rescued and handed over to her brother,Kalahandi district child protection officer Sukanti Beherasaid.

Neither the bride's parents nor the groom's family wasaware of the fact that child marriage is illegal, she said.

The girl opted to stay in her parents' house and toappear for the examination, the CDPO said.

''A counselling session was organised for both thefamilies. No case was registered against them. They agreed notto solemnise the girl's wedding before she attains themarriageable age of 18,'' Behera said.

Asked about the incident, the girl's father claimedthat he agreed to arrange her younger daughter's wedding dueto peer pressure, the officer added.