Officials stop child marriage in Veldhi village of Karimnagar district
K M Dayashankar
KARIMNAGAR: In a joint operation, the district officials in coordination with police, revenue, medical department and others have stopped a child marriage in Veldhi village of Manakondur mandal on Thursday.
Following the information to the Child line (1098) that a 16-year-old girl was being married forcibly on Thursday morning in the village, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Karimnagar rural Sabitha, Tahsildar Rajaiah, MPDO Divya Darshan Rao, Manakondur inspector Krishna Reddy, Childline coordinator Sampath, medical officials, Anganwadi teachers and others rushed to the village where the child’s marriage was all set to be performed amid chanting of Vedic hymns.
The officials swooped down at the marriage mandap and instructed the bride and groom families to stop the marriage. Initially, the family members and relatives resisted the officials and ensued in an argument with the officials. However, the CDPO, police and revenue officials have counselled the officials for more than four hours and stopped the marriage. They also educated the families and villagers about the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
The families have agreed to perform the marriage of the girl only after she attains the age of 18 years and has given a consent letter in writing to the authorities concerned. The officials informed the family members to educate the girl, who is presently studying Intermediate first year, till she completes graduation.
