In a shocking incident laying bare superstition, a 15-year-old girl fell a victim to her father’s weird wish at a village in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal after the latter married her citing “divine instruction” and she is now five months pregnant, according to reports reaching here.

Things would not have come to light had not Kashijhora villagers accidentally sighted the girl when she had stepped out of her hut for cleaning the yard, police quoting the villagers said. The villagers who were surprised to see her pregnant, made enquiries with Afizuddin Ali, 38, her father about the time of marriage.

Ali, a daily wager with five children, confessed to the villagers that he had married his eldest daughter about six months ago following “divine advice”. The “divine advice”, Ali claimed, was received in his dream and thereafter, he convinced his wife and daughter about the need for carrying it out “in a faithful manner”.

Villagers angry
When the angry villagers asked him why he did not inform his neighbours about his dream, Ali had no answer. Ali’s silence incensed the villagers, some of whom beat him up and accosted his wife too.

The village head informed the Banarhat police station about this illegal marriage.

Ali held
The police arrested Ali and his wife and produced the duo along with the daughter at the office of the district sub-divisional officer (SDO) on Monday.

Sub-divisional officer Atany Ray said it was a criminal case and directed the police to produce the couple at the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate in Jalpaiguri town at the earliest.