Lengkiti, Indonesia - A 15-year-old boy has married his 73-year-old lover in a remote village in Indonesia's Sumatra, official said, after the couple threatened a double suicide if their marriage will not granted.
The romance started when septuagenarian Rohaya Kiagus Muhammad Jakfar took care of her neighboring Selamet Riyadi, 15, who was suffering from malaria, reported in Agence France-Presse.
"Selamet is too young to marry but we married them anway because he threatened to commit suicide," village chief Cik Ani, told AFP, adding local officials also wanted them to " avoid the sin of adultery."
Riyadi's father died several years ago and the boy was not properly cared by her mother, who was remarried, Ani said.
The merraige took place Sunday in the remote Karang Endah village in South Sumatra province, but sparked natinal interest when the video of the couple's wedding went viral on social media. Since the boy is underage, they decided to carry out the marriage privately.
Under Indonesian law, the legal age for marriage is 19 for a man and 16 for a woman.
The romance started when septuagenarian Rohaya Kiagus Muhammad Jakfar took care of her neighboring Selamet Riyadi, 15, who was suffering from malaria, reported in Agence France-Presse.
"Selamet is too young to marry but we married them anway because he threatened to commit suicide," village chief Cik Ani, told AFP, adding local officials also wanted them to " avoid the sin of adultery."
Riyadi's father died several years ago and the boy was not properly cared by her mother, who was remarried, Ani said.
The merraige took place Sunday in the remote Karang Endah village in South Sumatra province, but sparked natinal interest when the video of the couple's wedding went viral on social media. Since the boy is underage, they decided to carry out the marriage privately.
Under Indonesian law, the legal age for marriage is 19 for a man and 16 for a woman.
No comments:
Post a Comment