Finally, the Sambalpur police rescued two girlsof Modipara, who had been allegedly sold by theirparents in MP.
After getting a complaint from the younger brother and elder sister of the girls and their relations that they were sold by their poor parentsto meet their alcoholichabit, the police rushed to MP with the father of the girland traced them out inSagar district.
But the statement ofthe girls has given a new twist to the episode, who deniedhaving been sold and rather said that they were leadinga happy marital life withtheir husbands.
“We are more than 18 years. We are married now and quite happy. Our parents have taken no money from our in-laws,” the girls saidto police.
Additional SP, Sambalpur, Sushil Kumar Panigrahi revealed this to media on Tuesday, informing that the police who had been sent to MP to rescue the girls brought the girls, besides their husbands to Sambalpur.
“We have brought the girls and their husbands from MP for further investigation.They would be produced before the magistrate and the child right protection officer of the district,” Panigrahi
said further.
However, although the girls are claiming that they are majors and had not been sold or forced to marry, the official documents say something else. “The girls are minor as per their school certificates. Hence, they may come under Child Right Protection Act since their parents have
married them off before 18 years and encouraged child marriage that is totally illegal,” said Panigrahi.Further investigation is also going on to ascertain as to the cash transaction for the marriage or sale of girls in distant places for money, Panigrahi disclosed.
“But we will produce the girls and the other persons with above documents/statements before magistrate. And the final decision depends on the court,” Panigrahi clarified. “Police are also investigating into the matter of brokers of outside State encouraging such marriage/sale of girls in Sambalpur,” he said further.