Bengaluru cops book mosque head for arranging child marriage
Bengaluru police have booked a mosque head and others for allegedly arranging a child marriage between a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man in Anepalya, breaking the Child Marriage Restraint Act.
The case came to light after advocate Hussain Owais S raised the issue with state authorities, but police took four days to act.
Owais goes to court for answers
When the District Child Helpline visited the Neelasandra mosque, the head refused to share details, saying the marriage procedure was completed as per the customs of the Muslim community.
Owais criticized police for not naming those involved in the FIR and had to go to court for answers. He also pushed for help for the girl, worried about possible pregnancy.
This comes after Karnataka's Chief Minister ordered stricter enforcement against child marriages—a tough job, since nearly one in four girls in India still marry before turning 18.