Fri Mar 07 04:42:58 UTC 2025: ## Four Arrested After Viral Video Shows Forcible Marriage of 14-Year-Old in India
**Hosur, Karnataka –** Four adults have been arrested following the viral circulation of a video depicting the forceful abduction of a 14-year-old girl in Hosur, Karnataka. The video, recorded by onlookers, shows the girl being roughly carried away across a field while other adults, later identified as her parents and the husband’s family, make no attempt to intervene.
The girl, from the village of Thimmathur, was married to a 29-year-old laborer, Madesh, on March 3rd in Bengaluru. Despite protesting the marriage both before and after the ceremony, her objections were ignored. Her family, including her parents, actively participated in the illegal union.
After refusing to go to her in-laws’ home in Kalikuttai village, Madesh and his brother, Mallesh, forcibly took her from a relative’s house. The video of this abduction quickly spread across social media, leading to a police investigation.
The All-Women Police Station in Denkanikottai registered a case based on a complaint filed by the girl’s grandmother. Police have arrested Madesh, Mallesh, the girl’s mother, Nagamma, and her father. All four face charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, which carries a potential two-year prison sentence and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.
The girl is currently residing with her grandparents. The incident highlights the ongoing problem of child marriage in India, despite its illegality. While authorities in Karnataka reported preventing 105 child marriages and registering cases for 75 others in 2023-2024, this case underscores the continued prevalence of the practice, particularly in rural areas.
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