Minor girl sold by parents for Rs 1.2 lakh near Mumbai; rescued by villagers

It turned out that the child had been sold by her father for Rs 1.20 lakh to a 35-year-old man in a ‘wedding’ ceremony. The minor girl wasn’t dressed for a celebration, but was being sold under the guise of marriage to a man nearly three times her age, for a ‘bride price’ of Rs 1.20 lakh.

There were no blessings, no music, only the sound of her footsteps — hesitant and fearful — as she was being led away, childhood trailing behind her like the loose end of her saree. But fate had other plans. Suspicious villagers and tribal activists noticed the fleet of unfamiliar cars entering the village and sprang into action.

The house in Bhiwandi where the minor girl, who was rescued, lived before being sold into marriage

Parents on the run

Villagers intercepted the vehicle and rescued the terrified girl just in time — before she could be taken to a life she never chose. The police were alerted, and a team from Ganeshpuri police station soon arrived, taking several of the accused into custody. Formal arrests followed, offering a rare moment of justice in a place where silence too often swallows such crimes.

Middleman: Sanjay Laxman Jadhav, who allegedly brokered the illegal child marriage deal (right) Main accused: Mangesh Laxman Gadekar, who allegedly paid Rs 1.2 lakh for the underage girl

Eight men, including the groom, Mangesh Laxman Gadekar, were arrested. However, the middleman, Sanjay Laxman Jadhav, 40, and the girl’s parents remain absconding. Her neighbours told mid-day that she lost her mother when she was too young, and her father got married to another woman.

According to activist Dayanand Patil, “The victim belongs to a vulnerable tribal family. Her stepmother came in contact with the middleman, who offered cash in exchange for the girl. When he sensed trouble, he escaped with his wife.” Jadhav, a local resident, played a key role in luring the girl’s family with promises of wealth and a better life for their daughter. An FIR was registered on May 7 at Ganeshpuri police station against 11 individuals.

‘Father counted money’

To understand the scale of exploitation, the mid-day team visited the village. The girl’s elder sister spoke to mid-day, saying they were being exploited due to poverty and illiteracy, and because most government schemes in tribal areas are poorly implemented.

Aniket Babaji Yewle, Ganesh Tukaram Tajne, Vishal Bansi Shinde, Vishal Baban Gosawi, Rohit Shivaji Yewle, Pravin Vijay Kanse and Navnath Kerubahu Jadhav

“She still played with broken dolls and borrowed schoolbooks from neighbours,” the sister said. “But our parents sold her to a 35-year-old man from Ahmednagar for Rs 1.20 lakh. My father counted the money while she was being taken away in three cars. I thank those who saved my sister.”

Despite laws and schemes like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, child marriage still plagues impoverished belts in Maharashtra. Tribal activists told mid-day that underage girls are often taken to unfamiliar places, cut off from their families, and subjected to abuse, domestic servitude, or forced labour.

Tried to flee and bribe

Patil said one of the cars tried to escape while being escorted to the police station. “We chased and stopped them on the highway.” 

Jayakant Patil, who helped intercept the fleeing cars and expose the child marriage plot. His younger brother Jayakant Patil added, “When we stopped them, they asked, ‘If the parents are okay with it, why are you inter-fering?’”

Activist Nitin Ravte, who helped expose the attempted child marriage in Pilanze Khurd. Activist Nitin Ravte said, “The groom had the audacity to say, ‘We’re not eloping. We’re marrying her properly.’”

Another activist, Mahadu Manglya Ravte, said the groom even attempted to bribe villagers to let them go. The girl’s elder sister recounted, “I was working at a brick kiln when my father asked me to go home and said a few guests have come home. When I returned, I saw my underage sister in a bridal outfit. My heart broke.” 
- Activist Mahadu Ravte, who was part of the rescue effort in the child marriage case

What the heroes say

Local resident Ravindra Govind Ravte, 28, noticed over a dozen unfamiliar people arriving in three cars around 10 am on May 6. “They took the girl to Jadhav’s broken house, where a torn tarpaulin hung at the entrance. She was forcibly married there and then taken away in a car. I alerted my neighbours,” he recalled. 
- Ravindra Ravte, a local resident who alerted villagers after spotting suspicious movement on May 6

Dayanand Patil of Shramjeevi Sangathana said that when he learned of the incident, he immediately intercepted the vehicles. “The groom and his entourage came from Renwadi village in Ahmednagar’s Parner taluka. We stopped them and questioned them, but they were defiant. We had to call the police,” he said. Police later found wedding items — bangles, bindis, garlands — at Jadhav’s house. Police took multiple pictures of the location. 
- Dayanand Patil, Shramjeevi Sangathana, who coordinated with police to rescue the minor

Complainant speaks

Pramod Dattarey Kale, Gram panchayat officer and complainant in the child marriage case
The complainant, gram panchayat officer Pramod Dattatreya Kale, said, “This was serious. The entire village united to stop it. I gave my statement to police and helped register the FIR against 11 accused.” He added that the girl didn’t have an Aadhaar card, so they contacted her school to get her birth certificate to strengthen the case.

Santoshi Vinod Aadga, Group Gram Sarpanch, speaking on the illegal child marriage case
Group gram sarpanch Santoshi Vinod Aadga said, “I wasn’t aware this practice existed here. Now that it has come to light, I demand strict action and will work with villagers and activists to raise awareness.” The girl’s elder sister, now a mother herself, added, “I have two young sisters-in-law. I’m worried for all tribal girls. These racketeers target poor families like ours. People like them should never be spared.”

At the police station

Some of the arrested accused at the police station after locals and activists stopped the illegal marriage

“When the cops asked the groom why he purchased a minor girl for marriage, he replied, ‘We’re poor. No one agrees to marry us, so we have to buy girls,’” said activist Dayanand Patil. He added that middleman Sanjay Jadhav was deeply involved. “He knew the community well and convinced the family to sell their daughter for a one-time monetary gain. Gadekar admitted to paying Rs 50,000 in advance, and the remaining R70,000 on the day of the wedding.” Patil also alleged that Jadhav’s wife was equally involved, but her name has not been included in the FIR. 

Police version

A police officer

A police officer investigating the case said, “We acted immediately. FIRs have been registered under Sections 143(4), 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 9, 10, 11 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The case has been registered against Mangesh Laxman Gadekar, Pravin Vijay Kanse, Aniket Babaji Yewle, Vishal Baban Gosawi, Vishal Bansi Shinde, Navnath Kerubahu Jadhav, Ganesh Tukaram Tajne, Rohit Shivaji Yewle, Sanjay Laxman Jadhav and the father as well as step-mother of the girl.” Three vehicles used to transport the girl were seized. “We’ve collected strong evidence for a watertight chargesheet. Eight arrests have been made so far. We are working to trace the absconding middleman and the girl’s parents,” the officer said.

Pilanze Khurd village in Bhiwandi taluka, Thane district, where the child marriage took place. Pics/Satej Shinde

Activist Speaks

Vivek Pandit
The chairperson of the Tribal Development Review Committee

The girl belonged to the Katkari community — “one of the most underprivileged, primitive tribes in the country.” “They are the most backward in terms of socio-economic and health indicators. Their extreme poverty leads them into different kinds of bondage,” Pandit said. Calling the act “human trafficking,” Pandit added, “This wasn’t a marriage — it was a sale. The groom wanted a full-time labourer he could also sexually abuse.” He pointed out that cases of child marriage are rampant in tribal belts, especially in Wada taluka of Palghar and Bhiwandi. “Most victims are Katkari girls,” he said. “I don’t understand why her parents haven’t been arrested. It’s a complete failure of the system. Strong deterrent action is needed — and the parents must be held accountable immediately,” he added.