BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 19th October 2025: A 17-year-old girl from Pathalia under the Golaghati assembly constituency was allegedly forced into marriage with a youth from Kalkalia by a group of local residents last night, reportedly led by a former leader of the Golaghati Mandal.
Sources informed that the minor girl was in a romantic relationship with Akash Debnath, son of Gautam Debnath from Kalkalia. Yesterday evening, Akash visited the girl’s home prompting locals to confront the pair. Within moments, a crowd gathered at the residence and tensions escalated rapidly.
Family members of Akash Debnath and the former Mandal leader soon arrived at the scene. That same night, without any religious rites or legal procedures, the girl was allegedly coerced into a marriage ceremony involving the application of sindoor and traditional symbols of matrimony. She was then reportedly sent to Akash’s home in a vehicle, accompanied by the former Mandal leader.
The incident was swiftly reported to IPS officer Bikash Senthia, SDPO of Bishalgarh. He alerted the OC of the Takarjala police station and directed immediate action. Although SDPO Senthia visited Pathalia to assess the situation, jurisdictional limitations prevented him from entering the girl’s residence.
A police team from Takarjala along with TSR personnel rushed to the location but found the house deserted. The girl’s parents had reportedly fled to escape the agitated crowd.
This morning, SDPO Senthia informed the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Acting on the tip-off, Commission member Gautam Shil with assistance from Bishalgarh police rescued the minor from Akash Debnath’s residence. She is currently housed at the One Stop Centre in Sepahijala district and is expected to be transferred to a child care home pending further decisions by the district’s Child Welfare Committee.
In a statement, Gautam Shil emphasized that all individuals involved in the incident will face legal action following a thorough investigation. “It is deeply troubling that local residents and a former political leader knowingly participated in such a heinous act,” he said.
Sources suggest that the former Mandal leader, along with other locals, may be named in the forthcoming legal proceedings.
