In UP’s Gorakhpur district, a Maulana (Muslim cleric) who was sexually exploiting a minor girl has been reportedly asked to marry the victim. As per reports, the accused Maulana is 50-years old and he has been sexually exploiting the minor girl for over two years.
In a disturbing development, the village panchayat has reportedly ordered the accused Maulana to marry the minor victim, as a punishment for his crime. The victim’s family, wary of the village leaders, has even accepted the proposal. As per media reports, the incident is from the Pipraich area in the Gorakhpur district.
As per media reports, the Maulana, who is a married man with children, and the victim girl both are from the same village. For the past 2 years, the Maulana has been sexually exploiting the minor girl. When the matter came to light, the village elders, instead of helping the victim family to file a police complaint and seek legal remedies, asked the Maulana to marry the minor girl.
A panchayat (village meeting) was called on Thursday, June 10, where the village leaders asked the Maulana to marry the minor. The Maulana’s family reportedly objected to the proposal, saying that the minor girl and her future children will be eligible to seek share in the family property if he marries her.
Upon this, the village elders reportedly asked the Maulana to give a share of his property to his first wife and her children and then marry the minor girl. The Maulana reportedly agreed to it.
Speaking to Live Hindustan, Pipraich police station in-charge Suryabhan Singh has stated that so far no complaint has been received regarding the village meeting or the alleged sexual exploitation of the minor. However, since child marriage is illegal, the police will take sue motu cognisance of the issue and will conduct an investigation. He added that the police will take action regarding the alleged sexual exploitation if the victim or her family come forward with it.
The madarsa authorities have stated to Live Hindustan that the incident has nothing to do with the madarsa because all educational institutions have been closed due to the pandemic. The madarsa authorities have stated that the said Maulana was visiting the girl’s house to teach her and taking cognisance of the allegations, the madarsa will take action against him for ‘defaming’ the institution once the lockdown is lifted.