Odisha Police ASI suspended for torturing 'minor' wife

Bhubaneswar, Aug 8 (PTI) An assistant sub-inspector of Odisha Police has been suspended for allegedly forcefully marrying a minor and torturing her, an officer said on Friday.

The police identified the ASI as Amit Padhi, a resident of Baliapal area in Balasore district and he was posted in Puri district.

Amit allegedly married a class-10 girl student (15/16 years) of Jagatsinghpur district after developing a relationship with her on Facebook and tortured her, the police said.

"Amit Padhi forcefully married my minor daughter in July 2024. She was forced to tell her age was 22 to others. After the marriage, Amit and his family members tortured her physically and mentally," alleged the mother of the victim.

The ASI then left his wife at her parental home in Jagatsinghpur, she alleged.

"After receiving a written complaint from the victim, a case has been registered at Jagatsinghpur Town police station. As the victim had earlier informed him that she will lodge a police complaint, Amit is absconding from Puri," Jagatsinghpur SP Bhawani Sankar Udgata said.

"When we intimated Puri SP about the incident, he suspended Amit from police service," Udgata said, adding that the accused ASI is still absconding and efforts are on to nab him.

The police ASI was also booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act along with other charges, the SP said.

The other accused family members of Amit surrendered before a local court as per an order of the high court and got bail, he added. PTI BBM BBM RG