MIRPURKHAS: A groom, his father and three other relatives were detained after the family of the girl in a wedding controversy claimed that she was underage and also alleged that she was abducted to materialise the marriage.

The groom, Imdad Shar, and the girl were taken into custody by the Phuladyoon police when they arrived in the Mirpurkhas sessions court on Thursday with the plea that they had wedded of their free will.

However, the police informed the court that they had booked Imdad Shar and his four close relatives a day earlier on the complaint of Zahid Jatt, the girl’s father, who alleged that his 13-year-old daughter was abducted by Imdad in connivance with his close relatives.

The police later also detained Imdad’s father, Mohammad Din, and relatives, Khamiso, Allah Bachayo alias Bachal and Manzoor, in a case of alleged underage marriage.

The court ordered the girl’s medical and gestational age examination. Accordingly, she was taken to the Mirpurkhas Civil Hospital.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2020