Palghar Tribal Woman Sold Under Marriage Pretext; Four Booked

Palghar: Police in Maharashtra’s Palghar district have registered a case against four persons for allegedly “selling” a 20-year-old tribal woman for 3 lakh under the pretext of marriage and subjecting her to harassment and abuse.

According to the police, the woman, who belongs to the Katkari tribal community, alleged that she was forced to marry a man from Nashik in May 2024. The man and his mother allegedly paid 3 lakh to two middlemen, who then trafficked the woman and facilitated the marriage, as stated in the FIR.

The survivor told the police that she was subjected to physical and mental torture at her husband’s house and was frequently targeted with casteist slurs. She also alleged that her husband assaulted her and denied her proper food during her pregnancy.

After giving birth to a son, the woman returned to her mother’s house in June 2025. The case came to light on January 6 this year when the accused allegedly attempted to take the child away, prompting police intervention.

A case has been registered against the husband, his mother, and the two middlemen at the Wada Police Station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Inspector Dattatray Bajirao Kindre said an investigation is underway.