Rajasthan court annuls an old case of child marriage

A Rajasthan court has annulled the wedding of an 18-year-old girl who was married when she was just 10-month-old. Maina, daughter of a daily wage worker of Dhandhaniya Bhayla village, was married to a man in Udaysar village on December 26, 2001.

She sought help from Kriti Bharti, rehabilitation psychologist and managing trustee of Saarthi Trust. Bharti helped her file a petition in a family court in February seeking annulment of marriage. Judge Pradeep Kumar Jain of the family court-1 of Jodhpur on Friday issued an order nullifying the child marriage.

When Maina's in-laws came to know about the petition, they approached 'panchs' who pressurised her and her family members to withdrew it and threatened the family of penalty and social boycott. However, during counselling Maina's husband agreed to end the marriage.

Maina said, "The marriage had ruined me. The annulment of my child marriage has given me a new life. Now I will study." Bharti said, efforts were being made for rehabilitation of Maina.