Minor Girl’s Brave Call Stops Child Marriage in Pune; Father Booked for Allegedly Forging Aadhaar Card
Minor Girl's Brave Call Stops Child Marriage in Pune; Father Booked for Allegedly Forging Aadhaar Card
Police have registered a case after a 17-year-old girl alerted the Child Helpline, leading to the prevention of her alleged child marriage and the discovery of a forged Aadhaar card.
A 17-year-old girl’s courage helped prevent her own child marriage in Pune district after she contacted the Child Helpline and informed authorities that she was being forced to marry despite being underage. The incident, reported from Khed taluka, has led to a criminal case against her father for allegedly forging her Aadhaar card to falsely show that she had attained the legal age for marriage.
According to police, the girl called the Child Helpline last week, alleging that her father was arranging her marriage against her wishes. Acting on the complaint, a police team rushed to the village and began an inquiry.
During questioning, the girl’s father claimed she was an adult and produced an Aadhaar card as proof of her age. However, the girl informed the police that her birth details had been altered and that the Aadhaar card had been tampered with to make her appear eligible for marriage.
The subsequent investigation revealed that the girl’s actual date of birth is January 28, 2009, making her a minor. Police suspect that the Aadhaar record had been manipulated to show a different birth year in an attempt to facilitate the marriage.
Based on the girl’s complaint, the Uttam Mhalunge MIDC Police have registered a case against her 42-year-old father, who works as a labour contractor. The case has been filed under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including offences related to preparing forged government documents and attempting to conduct the marriage of a minor.
Police are also investigating how the forged Aadhaar card was created and whether any individual or service centre assisted in preparing the fake document. Officials said further action will be taken if the probe reveals the involvement of others.
Authorities said the girl later realised that her birth records had been altered and, instead of giving in to pressure, decided to approach the Child Helpline and the police. Her timely complaint prevented the marriage and exposed the alleged forgery.
Officials have praised the girl’s presence of mind, saying the case highlights the importance of reporting child marriage attempts immediately. They also urged citizens to alert authorities whenever they suspect that a minor is being forced into marriage or that identity documents are being misused.
Disclaimer: Child marriage is prohibited under Indian law. Anyone aware of a planned child marriage can report it to the Child Helpline (1098) or the nearest police station.
