Bhopal: Childline scuttles mum's plan to marry off minor daughter

BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): Childline stopped the proposed marriage of a 15-year-old girl at New Sabzi Mandi, Shiv Nagar under Chhola police station on Sunday. The minor's marriage was scheduled for January 25.

Director of Childline, Bhopal, Archana Sahay said they got information on 1098 on Sunday. The anonymous caller said that the family of a minor girl was solemnising her marriage. We shared the information to Chhola Police Station immediately, she said.

Madhu Buddh and Dinesh Panthi from the Childline team, Maya Siloria and Mamta Chauhan from Special Juvenile Police Unit and Supervisor, Women and Child Development Manju Srivastava and Anganwadi worker Monica Kori reached the place.

In-charge of the police station Anil Singh Maurya said that as soon as they got the information from 1098, they called the girl and the family to the police station.

The mother of the girl said that her husband is a bus driver and fights every day after drinking alcohol. I have five daughters, two are married, she said.

The 15-year-old girl said that her mother had got her engaged two years back with a boy named Lucky who is a resident of Parvalia. Today is 'Mata Pujan' and my marriage will be held on January 25. I said to my mother that I do not want to get married yet. I have to study. But mother said that I can study after marriage, said the girl who studies in class 10.

She further said I am being married forcibly. Whoever gave information about my marriage by calling 1098, I thank them. The girl also thanked the Chhola police station and the team. Documents related to the girl's age revealed that was 15 years and 10 months old, said Sahay.

She said that the girl's mother created a lot of ruckus in the police station. She had also brought two lawyers with her. The team also talked to the mother and family members and explained to them. A panchnama was made by the family which mentioned that if they marry the girl below the age of 18, then legal action will be taken against them. After a lot of hard work, the marriage was†stopped, Sahay said.