Palamu district in Jharkhand is reeling from a grotesque child marriage scandal that exposes the darkest side of familial betrayal. A mother, entangled in an extramarital affair, allegedly duped her 13-year-old daughter with news of the father’s death and married her off to 55-year-old Prabhakar Kumar Mishra before eloping with her lover.
The two-month captivity in a Medininagar rental turned the girl’s life into a living hell, as detailed in her police complaint from the Navajaypur area. Mishra, from Bishrampur, exploited the minor after the sham union orchestrated by her mother to remove obstacles to her romance.
Fortune turned when the father, back from migrant work in Surat, discovered his daughter’s absence. His persistent efforts led him to her captor, allowing a daring rescue. Back home, the child’s anguished account of abuse and deception ignited a police crackdown.
Sadar police, following SP Reeshma Rameshan’s orders, nabbed Mishra in a targeted raid. The victim was promptly rescued and entrusted to the Child Welfare Committee for trauma counseling. FIRs cite POCSO, child marriage bans, and kidnapping statutes, ensuring rigorous prosecution.
The fugitive mother remains elusive, but police vow her capture soon. This case has ignited public fury, with activists decrying systemic failures in protecting children from predatory adults and negligent guardians. Rehabilitation efforts for the survivor are in full swing.
Beyond the arrest, this story serves as a stark reminder for bolstering child protection mechanisms nationwide. Community vigils and policy reforms are now in discussion to prevent such tragedies from recurring.