Family forces Karnataka girl, 14, to marry man double her age; minor seen dragged away in viral video

A 14-year-old girl was coerced into marrying a 29-year-old man in a remote village near Bengaluru, Karnataka. The incident came to light after a video showing the girl being forcibly taken from her relative's house went viral.

The girl, from Thimmattur, a small village in the Thottamanju hills near Hosur, had completed up to seventh grade and lived with her family.

On March 3, she was wed to Madesh, a 29-year-old laborer from the nearby Kalikuttai village. Adding to the distressing nature of the situation is the fact that her mother, Nagamma, 29, from Bengaluru, played a key role in arranging the marriage.

After the wedding, the young girl returned to her home in Thimmattur and expressed to her family and relatives that she did not want to marry Madesh and refused to go to his house. Despite this, Madesh, along with his 38-year-old brother Mallesh, pursued the distressed girl and forcibly dragged her back to Kalikuttai.

The shocking scene was captured by bystanders on their phones and quickly shared on social media, causing it to go viral within hours.

In response to the outcry, the All Women Police team from Dhenkanikot initiated an investigation into the matter. After the girl's grandmother filed a complaint, the police arrested Madesh, Mallesh, and Nagamma for their roles in the forced marriage.

All three individuals are facing up to two years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.

The girl is now staying with her grandparents.

Marriage of a girl under the age of 18 is illegal under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and is considered void.