Minor girl forced to marry UAE man, sexually abused and abandoned

Malappuram, Aug 27: Kerala is known for its sex scandals and flesh trade. Here is yet another example of that. A 17-year old girl, who lived in an orphanage in Kozhikode, was forcefully married off to a man from United Arab Emirates on June 13. He allegedly abused her sexually for two weeks and then abandoned her on June 31.

The girl was sent to the orphanage by her parents at a very young age as they could not afford to bring her up. The mother now alleges that she had been forced by the orphanage to consent to the marriage. However, the former claims that they have documents to prove that the mother readily agreed to the proposal.

The incident came to light when the wrote a petition to the state human rights commission, explaining her situation. The Commission has now asked the Kerala police to file a detailed report on the case. Appreciating the girl's courage, a member of the panel said, "Though such practices are prevalent in certain parts of the state, this is a rare case where the victim has come forward to report it."

Although the man is absconding, he has been booked for rape, harassment for dowry and other charges under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Protection of Children against Sexual Harassment Act. The man, a UAE National, is said to have his roots in Kerala with his mother being a native and father an Arab. Reportedly, his father too had left his mother after the wedding.

OneIndia News