Minor girl pregnant after child marriage in Paranda; case under POCSO Act against youth

A serious case has come to light in Paranda taluka of Dharashiv district. A minor girl was married off in a village there and was then sexually abused, the complaint says. It states that the girl is currently pregnant. The girl herself complained to the police, and on that basis Paranda police station has registered a case against the youth under various sections.

According to the police, the girl's relatives married her to a youth when she was 16 years and 5 months old. The same youth then had physical relations with her, as a result of which she became pregnant, the FIR states. The girl went to Paranda police station and filed her complaint on October 22, 2026.

On the complaint, police have registered a case under Sections 63, 64(2)(f) and 64(2)(i) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Section 9 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and Sections 4, 6 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, have also been invoked. Paranda police are investigating further.

Because the girl is a minor, police have not released her name, village or any other detail that could reveal her identity.

The disclosure that a minor became pregnant after a child marriage adds to the gravity of the case. Only the police investigation will make clear the full background of the incident and what the circumstances actually were. The incident has once again brought the questions of child marriage and the safety of minor girls into discussion.

In India, the marriage of a girl younger than 18 is treated as a child marriage. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, provides for legal action against those connected with such marriages. In cases of sexual abuse of a minor girl, sections of other relevant laws can be applied along with the POCSO Act, depending on the circumstances.