SC orders protection of Bihar girl who fled abusive forced marriage

Hindustan Times

4 hours ago

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stepped in to protect a 16-year-old girl from Bihar who alleged she was forcibly married to a man twice her age and later subjected to abuse, as it ordered protection to the girl and her friend who helped her escape the marriage and now faces a kidnapping charge.
A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan directed the Director General of Police, Bihar, and the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure the safety of both the girl and her friend. They were also asked to provide them with emergency contact numbers to be used in case of any exigency.
The girl approached the court through her friend, seeking annulment of the marriage under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and protection from any coercive action. Her petition said she had taken her Class 10 board exams when she was married off on December 9, 2024, under pressure from her family. The groom, a civil contractor aged about 33, allegedly insisted on the marriage as repayment for financial support extended to her family.
The plea said she was immediately sent off with her husband after the ceremony and was not allowed to return home, despite promises that she could come back in two days. Her in-laws repeatedly told her that they wanted a child and that too much money had been spent on the wedding to reverse it. The plea said the girl, who dreams of becoming a teacher or a lawyer, was told she would not be allowed to continue her studies.
The petition alleged repeated physical and emotional abuse by the husband, especially after she resisted physical intimacy. She remained in a state of distress until mid-January 2025, when her maternal uncle persuaded her in-laws to let her visit her parental home.
Even there, the girl claimed, her requests to terminate the marriage and pursue her education were ignored. On March 31, 2025, she left her home and sought help from her friend. After much persuasion, he agreed to accompany her to Varanasi. The two have been on the run since, fearing for their lives.
The plea said the husband has made public threats, declaring in their village that he would kill the girl and 'happily go to jail' for it. Her mother filed a kidnapping case against the friend in Patna's Piplawan Naubatpur police station, allegedly concealing the fact that her daughter had already been married.
'The petitioner fears she will be killed if apprehended or forced to return,' said the plea, urging protection from any coercive police action until the case is fully adjudicated.
Taking note of the threat to the minor's safety, the Supreme Court issued its protective directions and is expected to hear the matter in July. While the police chiefs have been directed to submit status reports in the matter before the next hearing, the court also sought responses from the girl's mother and the civil contractor, who have been named as parties to her petition in the court.