August 02, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 29, 1429

HYDERABAD, Aug 1: A four-year-old girl of Kohli community has been married to a boy of the same age under a decision taken by elders to punish the family of the girl whose father disappeared with a sister of the boy.

Tando Allahyar DPO Farooq Jamali told Dawn that having come to know about the incident from journalists he had sought details from elders of the community, the families of the two children and the Pyaro Loond police.

It is learnt that teenaged girl Radha eloped with Neelo Kohli, the father of Meena, a few days ago, but no FIR was lodged by Radha’s family.

The Kohlis work on the land of a Loond elder in the Hakra Mori area.

Elders of the Loond community convened a meeting in Tando Allahyar and decided that the four-year-old Meena be married to Radha’s four-year-old brother Dhalo.

On Friday, a crying Meena was handed over to the boy’s family despite stiff resistance put up by her mother and grandmother.

It is learnt that the thumb impression of her grandmother had been forcibly obtained on a document about the marriage.

The document also has the thumb impression of Karo Kohli, the father of Dhalo. Any side violating the agreement will have to pay a fine of Rs 200,000.

Meena’s mother and grandmother told journalists that they had never agreed to the marriage.

They met SP investigation Altaf Awan to inform him about the case.

DPO Farooq Jamali will meet both the families on Saturday in presence of heads of Kohli and Loond communities.