India is home to the highest numbers of child brides in the world. Of these, 36 million child brides, such as 12-year-old Chimki, are from the state of Uttar Pradesh alone. Despite stringent laws, and promises of women empowerment, young girls continue to be pushed into child marriage. And the pandemic is making matters worse. A ground report from Shravasti district — home to the most child brides in UP.

In rural India, even today, superstitions are steeped deep. The disease symptoms of many children are taken to be a foul act of fantastical spirits or hexes and treated by the brutal burning of their body parts. The victims of such malpractices are rendered handicapped for the rest of their lives