The district police office has arrested two people including a young man (groom) who married a minor.
Police have arrested 28-year-old Ramesh Rai of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality-12 Jalpa who stopped a 13-year-old girl who was visiting her relatives on the road and married her to Lalife.
Ramesh, who married the girl on December 8, was arrested on December 12 and Kamala was arrested on December 13, the spokesperson of the District Police Office, Police Inspector Mohan Pokharel informed. According to him, a case under child marriage offenses has been initiated against both the arrested persons.
After receiving information about the incident related to child marriage, the police said that both of them, who were arrested at different times and places, were kept in police custody and further investigation was started regarding the incident. Deputy Superintendent of Police Prateek Bista informed that both the accused were brought before the district court and the deadline was extended for five days for further investigation.
The girl studying in class-8 was rescued from the house of the young man (groom) and was handed over to her relatives after a health check-up at the district hospital, according to the police. Police spokesperson Pokharel informed that the girl who was taken to the young man's house on December 8 was brought in according to Kirat rituals on December 9.
Chapter 11 of the Criminal Code 2074 provides that a person who commits child marriage is imprisoned for up to three years and fined up to Rs 30,000. If the age of the person getting married is less than 20 years, the marriage is automatically annulled, it is mentioned in the offense related to child marriage of the Civil Penal Code.
Diktel Rupakot Mazhuwagadhi Municipality's Women, Children and Senior Citizens Branch conducted capacity development training on reducing child marriage in Jalpa on 14th and 15th of December. As a result of the program, the police received information about child marriage in Jalpa.
