Child bride breaks glass ceiling

Santra Meena, 24, is not willing to accept the “drunkard” she married when she was a minor girl of 13.

On Monday she sought the help of the Dausa superintendent of police to protect her against a caste panchayat decree that she must go back to her husband.

Rather, Santra, now a school teacher, wants to pursue a path similar to the person whose help she has sought — a career in the civil services.

The incident happened in the Manpuriya area of Dausa district, 60 km from Jaipur, on Monday, when Santra rushed to Dausa SP SN Khinchi’s office with a letter saying that while she had her own career plans, she was being forced to live with a man she did not like.

Santra and her elder sister, Badam Meena, were married to two brothers, Dinesh Meena and Sanjay Meena, respectively, in 2001. While Badam is now the mother of three children, Santra stayed with her parents and pursued studies. She was appointed Hindi lecturer at a senior school in Alwar district last year.

However, last week the local Kyariwas panchayat ordered Santra to go back to her husband. She complained her in-laws tried to forcibly take her along.

“My childhood bridegroom dropped from his matriculation class and has since then become a drunkard and involved in criminal activities. I do not want to go ahead with this child marriage. I want to pursue civil services, so kindly provide me protection,” she said in her letter.

Khinchi told HT: “We have registered a case against in-laws including her elder sister. The woman has been provided police protection.”