Palghar (Maharashtra):
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. The case has been registered at Wada police station following a complaint filed by the woman earlier this week.
According to police officials, the woman belongs to the Katkari tribal community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). She alleged that in May 2024, two middlemen arranged her marriage with a man from Nashik district after receiving ₹3 lakh from the man and his mother.
The complainant stated that she was taken to Nashik and forced into marriage without her informed consent. After the marriage, she was allegedly subjected to physical and mental harassment, caste-based abuse, and neglect by her husband and in-laws.
Police said the woman also alleged that she was denied food on several occasions, even during her pregnancy. She later gave birth to a male child.
In June 2025, the woman returned to her maternal home in Palghar along with her child due to continued harassment. The matter came to light on January 6, 2026, when the accused allegedly attempted to take away her child, prompting her family to approach the police.
Based on her complaint, an FIR has been registered against:
The husband
His mother
Two alleged middlemen
The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), provisions related to human trafficking, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A senior police official said that the investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the trafficking network and to verify financial transactions related to the alleged sale.
“No arrests have been made so far. Further investigation is in progress,” the official added.
