Shahkot (Jalandhar), February 15
A man in his mid 30s and the father of a minor girl, both residents of Shahkot, landed behind bars for marrying the girl belonging to a poor family.

The police swung into action with much delay after two elder sisters of the bride complained to the police only to face it’s wrath for disturbing the ceremony.

Balkar Singh, father of the girl, reportedly took Rs 50,000 from the groom’s family for fixing his daughter’s marriage with Vijay Kumar Gill (32), a physically challenged man of the same locality and community.

The duo rejected the proposal and took up the matter with the police after Balkar remained firm on his decision.

Talking to The Tribune, the minor girl's sisters said they along with a male person of the family informed ASI Lakhwinder Singh, who was on duty at the local police station on late Thursday night.

They alleged that the police officials instead of acting on their complaint detained the male member at the police station and demanded money to get rid of police harassment.

“While the police detained us in the police station, Balkar and family members of Vijay Kumar solemnised the marriage at a local place.

Moreover, the couple was even sent to a certain undisclosed place for ‘night’, they claimed.

The police swung into action only when certain members of the Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, after getting information reached the police station along with Sarabjit Kaur and Manjit Kaur, claimed Gubakhsh Kaur, a senior leader of the union.

The police then got a medical examination conducted on the girl at the local civil hospital and recorded her statement, he said. In her statement, the girl said she was forced to have sex with Vijay during night.

DSP, Shahkot, HPS Benipal refuted the charges of police harassment of complainants and demanding money from their male companion.

"The women approached the police station on Thursday night and were told to come on Friday as there were no woman police personnel at the station at that time,” the DSP claimed.

The police has arrested Vijay and the girl's father and a case under various sections of the Child Marriage Restrain Act was registered against them at the Shahpur police station, he added.

The two accused were produced before a court at Nakodar today and have been remanded to one-day police custody for interrogation, the DSP added.