Nashik: The Harsul police from Nashik Rural on Thursday arrested 10 people for arranging the marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a 29-year-old man from Ahilyanagar.The investigation was carried out under the supervision of SP D S Swami, additional superintendant Vimla M and deputy superintendent Vasudev Desl.Police stated that in the early hours of April 30, the victim’s father discovered his daughter was not at home. After speaking with relatives and searching the village, he approached the Harsul police. Subsequently, an abduction case was registered.API Jeevan Borse said, “We verified whether anyone else from the village or nearby areas was missing. When we confirmed that no other person was unaccounted for, the seriousness of the case grew. A separate team was set up to investigate.”Later, using technical analysis and human intelligence, the police traced the girl to Sangamner taluka in Ahilyanagar and learnt that she had been married to a 29-year-old man.Police said, “Three of the victim’s relatives, who are also from the same village, and three from the accused groom’s-side acted as agents. These six allegedly took Rs2 lakh from the groom and his brother, and persuaded the minor with assurances of a better future.API Borse added that two other accused, who were from the victim’s village and aware of the girl’s location, were also arrested.After this, the police added rape charges under applicable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.The 10 accused were produced before the court on Thursday. The man who married the girl was sent to police custody until June 15, while the remaining nine were remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.
