A missing person case in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior has taken an unexpected turn after a girl, initially reported by her family as a 19-year-old adult, was found to be a minor following her recovery from Noida. Verification of official documents revealed that the girl is only 17 years old, leading to the exposure of an alleged child marriage and prompting the High Court to order legal action against those responsible.

The incident pertains to the Bahodapur police station area, where the girl's father lodged a missing person complaint on June 12, claiming that his 19-year-old daughter had disappeared from their residence in Sagartal Phase-2. Based on the complaint, police registered a missing report and launched a search operation.

Using surveillance inputs and technical evidence, the police traced the girl to Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) in Uttar Pradesh. She was found in the company of a local youth identified as Kishan Khatik, a resident of Bahodapur. The accused was taken into custody and brought back to Gwalior along with the girl.

The case witnessed a major development during court proceedings when authorities verified the girl's educational records and birth certificate. The documents established that she was only 17 years old, making her a minor under the law. This revelation significantly altered the legal nature of the investigation.

During counselling, the girl reportedly told authorities that her father had arranged her marriage against her wishes while she was still underage. She further stated that she did not want to live with her husband or in-laws, which led her to leave home with her neighbour, Kishan Khatik.

Earlier, the girl's father had approached the High Court by filing a habeas corpus petition, alleging police negligence in tracing his daughter. However, after the girl's recovery and the disclosure regarding her age and alleged child marriage, the court directed Bahodapur police to register an FIR against all those involved in solemnising the child marriage within 15 days.

Police have already registered a case against Kishan Khatik under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He was produced before a court and has been sent to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, investigators have widened the scope of the probe. The girl's parents, her alleged husband, in-laws and any other individuals involved in facilitating or conducting the child marriage are now under investigation. Separate criminal proceedings are expected under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

Bahodapur Station House Officer Alok Parihar confirmed that the recovered girl was found to be a minor based on official documents. He said the investigation had established evidence of child marriage and that further legal action would be taken in compliance with the High Court's directions.

The case has once again highlighted concerns over child marriage and the importance of age verification during police investigations. Authorities are expected to complete the investigation and initiate action against all those found responsible under the relevant provisions of law.

The sixth National Family Health Survey shows measurable gains in safety indicators and infrastructure, but flags rising health risks among women and persistent nutrition gaps in children

A Wide-Ranging Health Census

The Union Health Ministry released the report of the National Family Health Survey 2023–24 (NFHS-6) on Friday, drawing data from roughly 6.79 lakh households spread across 715 districts. The survey, the most comprehensive of its kind in India, tracks population, health, nutrition, and family welfare indicators — and this round signals both progress and fresh warnings.

Violence Against Women Declines

One of the more striking numbers in the report: the rate of domestic violence has dropped from 29.2% to 22.3% compared to the NFHS-5 conducted between 2019 and 2021. Child marriage has also seen a decline, falling from 23.3% to 20.1% nationally. The share of working women has risen to 30.8%, up from 25.4% in the previous survey — a modest but meaningful gain in economic participation.

State-level gaps, however, remain stark. Bihar records the highest rate of marital violence at 36.1%, while Himachal Pradesh is at the other end at just 4.3%. On child marriage, West Bengal (36.4%) and Bihar (34.6%) top the list, and Kerala — with a rate of only 2.9% — remains the safest state on that indicator.

Obesity Rising, Breastfeeding Down

Women's obesity has increased by roughly 7 percentage points since the last survey. Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Kerala each report obesity rates of around 46–48% among women, while Meghalaya and Jharkhand remain at the lower end at 13.8% and 16.9% respectively.

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months — a critical early childhood nutrition marker — has actually declined, slipping from 63.7% to 55.8%. According to the survey, only 15.3% of children between six months and two years are receiving adequate, balanced nutrition. That means close to 85% of children in that age group are not meeting their basic dietary needs.

On a more positive note, stunting among children has come down from 35.5% to 29.3%, a drop of 6.2 percentage points that officials have described as a significant improvement in child growth outcomes.

C-Section Rates at Record High

Caesarean deliveries in private hospitals have reached 54.1%, a record level that public health experts have long flagged as a concern. The survey does not directly address whether this reflects medical necessity or over-medicalisation, but the figure is likely to invite scrutiny from health bodies.

Infrastructure Gains Are Substantial

Electricity has reached 98.3% of households, and access to clean drinking water now stands at 96.5% of homes — both figures representing substantial improvement in living standards. Internet access among women has more than doubled, climbing to 64.3%.

Women's property ownership has also grown. Currently 18.8% of families have a woman owning a house or land — up from 14% in the previous survey. Rural ownership (19.1%) is slightly ahead of urban (18.2%), which runs counter to expectations.

Family Planning Use Has Dipped

The survey flags a decline in the use of modern family planning methods, including contraceptive pills, condoms, and sterilisation procedures. The overall rate has fallen to 52.7% from 56.4% earlier — a development that, alongside the rise in obesity and fall in breastfeeding rates, points to gaps in the reach of public health messaging at the community level.

WHO Data Adds Context

World Health Organisation data cited in the survey notes that around 30% of women in India have experienced some form of intimate partner violence — encompassing mental, economic, and sexual abuse. Globally, around 840 million women have faced sexual abuse from a partner at some point in their lives, and the situation has improved only marginally since 2000.

In India, about 4% of women aged 15 and above have faced sexual violence from someone other than a partner — a figure that, while lower than many peer countries, remains a cause for intervention.

A 12-year-old girl was allegedly sold by her own mother and stepfather for Rs 12 lakh in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, with police confirming the child was subsequently raped by at least three men over several months before the case came to light through counselling.

A Family That Failed Her

The sequence of events began in January 2025 when the victim's biological father died due to excessive alcohol consumption, leaving the family without support. Within months, her mother remarried a man identified as Pawan alias Paramal Gurjar, a resident of Laharca Chak in Guna district.

After the second marriage, Pawan brought the girl and her mother to Rajgarh. According to investigators, it was here that the criminal conspiracy took shape — the child was treated not as a family member but as a commodity.

Forced into Marriage at 12

On 3 February 2025, the minor was forcibly married off to 26-year-old Bhola alias Bholaram Gurjar. Police say the transaction involved Rs 8 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 4 lakh — an outright case of child trafficking dressed up as matrimony.

The groom allegedly raped the girl on their wedding night. In the weeks that followed, her stepfather Pawan also sexually assaulted her multiple times. Threatened into silence, the child endured the abuse without telling anyone.

Abandoned, Exploited, Assaulted Again

Her ordeal did not end there. Pawan eventually abandoned the girl's mother and went absconding. The mother then contracted a third marriage in Rajasthan and left her daughter behind at the home of a woman named Shaitanbai in Rajgarh, where the child was made to do household work.

It was during this period that another accused, Devraj Gurjar, found an opportunity to sexually assault her.

How the Case Surfaced

The matter came to the notice of Kotwali police station in-charge Inspector Manju Makhenia. Acting on the information, authorities placed the girl in a safe environment and arranged counselling. Once she felt assured of protection, the child narrated her ordeal in detail — describing months of physical, mental, and sexual abuse carried out under constant threats and intimidation.

"She had been living under fear for a long time. The counselling gave her the confidence to speak," a police official said.

Five Arrested, Mastermind Still at Large

An FIR bearing crime number 350/2026 has been registered at Kotwali police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

Five of the six accused have been arrested: Bhola alias Bholaram Gurjar, Devraj Gurjar, Sagar Gurjar, Shaitanbai, and the victim's mother. The prime accused, Pawan alias Paramal Gurjar, remains at large. Police have announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to his arrest and are conducting raids at multiple locations.

Child Marriage Still Happening in Shadows

Despite laws being in place for nearly five decades, child marriages continue to occur across India — not in public ceremony but in secrecy, often in agricultural fields, away from any gathering or decoration. The Prevention of Child Marriage Act was enacted in 2006 with strengthened provisions, following the 1978 amendment that raised the legal marriage age for girls to 18. Yet cases like this one reveal how legislation alone cannot protect a child when her own family becomes the instrument of exploitation.

The Rajgarh case is a stark reminder that trafficking does not always happen at borders or in distant cities. Sometimes it happens within the home.

The Raipur district administration has started the process of declaring gram panchayats and urban local bodies as child marriage-free zones under a special initiative led by the Women and Child Development Department. Authorities said the move aims to strengthen awareness and enforcement against child marriage while encouraging local bodies to maintain zero reported cases.

According to official information, gram panchayats and urban bodies where no child marriage cases have been reported in the last two years are being considered for recognition under the campaign. The initiative has emerged as an important Public Interest Story linked to child welfare and social awareness in Chhattisgarh.

Hundreds Of Panchayats Proposed

Officials said that out of 408 gram panchayats in Raipur district, as many as 332 gram panchayats have recommended themselves for declaration as child marriage-free. Along with this, eight urban local bodies out of the district’s total 11 urban bodies have also been proposed for the status. The concerned gram panchayats and urban bodies have reportedly submitted certifications stating that no child marriage incidents were recorded within their jurisdiction during the previous two years. The district administration is now carrying out the verification and objection process before issuing the final declaration.

Verification Process Begins

As part of the administrative procedure, the proposed list of gram panchayats and urban local bodies has been made available for public review at the Collector’s office in Raipur and offices of the Women and Child Development Department. Authorities stated that citizens can examine the list at various project offices, including Arang, Abhanpur, Dharsiwa-01, Dharsiwa-02, Raipur Urban-01, Raipur Urban-02, Tilda and Mandir Hasaud. Officials said the review process is intended to ensure transparency and public participation before the final recognition is granted. The development became part of the Latest News Today updates in Chhattisgarh as the administration pushed social reform initiatives at the grassroots level.

Objections Invited

The Women and Child Development Department has invited objections, suggestions and claims from individuals, social organisations and institutions regarding the proposed list. Authorities clarified that if any person has information about child marriage incidents in the proposed areas, they can submit a written objection along with supporting documents. The administration has fixed May 18 to May 28, 2026 as the period for filing claims and objections. Applications must be submitted to the District Programme Officer at the Women and Child Development Office in Raipur. Officials said all objections and supporting evidence will be examined carefully before any gram panchayat or urban body is officially declared child marriage-free.

Focus On Social Awareness

The initiative is being seen as part of broader efforts to curb child marriage and improve awareness regarding child rights and girls’ education in rural and urban areas. Government officials stated that local administrations, anganwadi workers, women self-help groups and community organisations have played a key role in monitoring and reporting child marriage cases in villages and towns. According to department officials, increased awareness campaigns and community participation have helped reduce instances of child marriage in several regions of Chhattisgarh over recent years. Authorities believe that officially recognising child marriage-free panchayats could encourage more villages to actively participate in prevention efforts and social awareness programmes.

Monitoring And Accountability

Officials indicated that the declaration process also aims to create accountability at the local governance level. Gram panchayats and urban bodies receiving recognition are expected to continue monitoring vulnerable households and ensure that underage marriages do not take place in their areas.

The administration may also conduct periodic reviews even after granting the status to verify whether local bodies continue to remain free from child marriage cases. Social welfare officials said community-level vigilance remains essential because child marriages are often conducted secretly in remote areas or during social functions. The campaign has drawn attention as part of wider Government Updates focused on women and child welfare schemes in the state.

The district administration stated that the final list of child marriage-free gram panchayats and urban bodies will be released only after completion of the objection review process. Officials said recognition would be granted to only those local bodies against which no valid objections or complaints are found during scrutiny. Authorities also appealed to citizens and organisations to cooperate with the administration by sharing accurate information during the verification process.