Maneka Gandhi asks Sushma Swaraj to help rescue 16-year-old married to Oman sheikh

The Hyderabad girl was studying in class VIII. The sheik is reportedly 65 years old. Photograph: (DNA)

PTI New Delhi, India Aug 18, 2017, 01.01 AM (IST)

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'I would request @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman,' Maneka wrote on Twitter

India's woman and child development minister Maneka Gandhi has asked external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to help rescue a 16-year-old girl from Hyderabad who has allegedly been married off to a sheikh from Oman for Rs 5 lakh.

The sheik is reportedly in his 60s.

Gandhi took to Twitter to respond to media reports on the incident which she termed as "deeply disturbing".

I would request Smt. @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman.
— Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) August 17, 2017

"Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage," she tweeted.

Also have come to know that the Sheikh's family is harassing her, trying all steps to ensure she is back in India: V. Satyanarayana,DCP pic.twitter.com/C2Z0IijokE
— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2017

"I would request @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman," the minister wrote on Twitter.

She also asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to contact the girl's family members.

According to media reports, the girl -- styding in class VIII -- was married to the 65-year-old sheikh, named as Ahmed, from Oman three months ago for Rs 5 lakh.

The girl's parents had on Wednesday filed a complaint with the police alleging that her aunt had facilitated the illegal marriage for money.