Ward Panch marries 6-yr-old girl in Rajasthan TOI

JAIPUR: In a shocking incident, a 35-year- old elected representative of Gangrar Panchayat Samiti allegedly married a 6-year-old girl earlier this week, officials of Chittorgarh district said on Saturday.

District Collector Ved Prakash and SP Chittorgarh Prasanna Kumar Khamesara said the administration came to know about the incident, which prima facie appears to be a case of child marriage, when a picture of the wedding began circulating on WhatsApp yesterday.

"Ratan Jat, the Ward Panch of Gangrar Panchayat, had allegedly solemnised marriage with the 6-year-old girl secretly at Pandoli or Soniana village earlier this week," Khamesara said, adding, both the families fled the area soon after the ceremony.

Yesterday, a team of district officials from medical and health, Child Development Office led by Sub-Division Officer prepared a report on the basis of which an FIR would soon be filed with Gangarar police station against the accused Ward Panch and family of the minor girl, the SP said.

The case would be lodged under provisions of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, he said.

District Collector Ved Prakash said a case would also be filed in the local court on Monday to declare the marriage null and void.

Villagers were tight-lipped about the incident, the collector said, quoting the report.

The SP said that since Jat is an elected representative of the Panchayat Samiti, he would be traced soon.

Disgusting piece of news Aparna

He will be caught and punished. But it was interesting to know the reason for this child marriage. This was not a usual child marriage - it was done for other purpose (just like people use to convert to islam for marriage) - the man want to move in with a married woman - for that, he wanted to use nata pratha (for which both man and woman have to be married to someone else) and since the man was unmarried - he got himself married to a child (as reported by the Indian Express).

hummm must be some kind of ritual there ...like u mention nata pratha

More than rituals - human greed is to blame. Instead of exercising their right to freedom of religion - some convert to islam if they want to marry another woman without divorcing the current one and now this case... In this - he will destroy the life a child -even if he does not bring her as his bride, even if she remains with her parents - even if he does not consummate with the child bride - this marriage is wrong and he should be punished. The child bride most probably belong to some poor family - parents prefer married tag even in mistaken belief that the girl will be safe.

True Greed & Poverty too ...

I have heard that in countries where AIDS has become a huge problem a belief that marrying a virgin/sex with virgin will cure AIDS and that led to a spate of child marriages where men with AIDS got themselves child brides🤢

Originally posted by: blushing

Disgusting piece of news Aparna

unrealistic incidents turn into reality 🤢 Lots of efforts needed in remote area as well as cities too.

Villagers are light lipped ...this is where problems lies ...no one utter word against these things ...either they are scared or simply don't wish to against their own community ...becoz these community might throw them out

such deep rooted problem ...

Yes, not only AIDS - they believe that STDs are also cured by having sex with a virgin. And since they cannot be sure of virginity of older girls (given their own history🤢) - they go for very young girls (usually girls of age where they cannot even think of sex) to be sure that the girl is virgin. This world is too harsh for the girl child.

The media highlights these things and brings awareness as to what is happening all around us.

In West Bengal, a highly educated man(who returned from US after a successful stint) was found in a deranged condition with the corpses of his long dead sister, dogs etc.

Education has nothing to do with mindset. While ignorance and pervert mindset lead to many of these incidents.

I am not surprised.

I am reading about much more heinous crimes like an infant being raped and killed.

Balvivah is only one of the evils.

There are too many evils which even the British could not eradicate during its rule. Though Sati was banned during their times due to the efforts of Rajaram Mohan Roy.

India has produced the best minds like Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Ambedkar, Roy etc. but their efforts, NGO's efforts, government's efforts have all failed in front of certain mindsets encouraged by vested interests for their own benefits..

Media should not only highlight these evil incidents but they should also see that the message reaches all. What they are doing is forgetting the previous incident when another incident takes place.

Government should institute best Panchayat awards and cash incentives to respective Panchayats where incidents like these do not happen or dealt with severely.