Tripura, June 18: A sensational case of child marriage has come to light in the Sepahijala district of Tripura. Soban Miah, a 50-year-old resident of Sonapur village, has been arrested and sent to judicial custody for allegedly marrying a 12-year-old minor girl.
Based on information received by the police, the accused was arrested on Tuesday night. He was produced before the special POCSO court in Sonamura on Wednesday, where his bail application was rejected. As part of the investigation, the statement of the minor girl has also been recorded.
The investigation revealed that the marriage took place approximately two years ago when the girl was just 12 years old. The victim is currently around 14 years old. The police have registered a case under various sections of the POCSO Act in connection with this incident.
Preliminary investigations have further revealed that this was Soban Miah’s third marriage. According to locals, his two previous wives left him due to physical and mental torture. He reportedly has a son from his first marriage, whose age is said to be older than that of the victim.
This incident has once again brought the growing problem of child marriage in rural areas to the forefront, despite regular awareness campaigns being conducted against it by the administration, the Child Welfare Committee, and the police.
