Indore: Welfare organisations stop minor’s marriage

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The women and child development department and ChildLine stopped the marriage of a 16-year-old girl on Monday. Mahendra Pathak and Devendra Pathak from the department, besides Deepak Goswami and Sunita Rai from the ChildLine team—along with Mohan Malvia and a police team from the Bhanwarkuan police station—investigated the birth details and visited the house of the minor.

It was later revealed that the minor was going to get married on May 12 and the procession was about to come from Ruthiya Guna. The girl’s parents work as labourers and she has two siblings. Her elder sister, 18 years old, was also going to get married.

The welfare organisations educated them and explained to the minor’s parents that it was illegal for a girl child to get married until she turned 18. Later, they had a conversation with the girl child and made her aware of her rights. They were assured by the family that legal procedures would be followed and they would not marry off the girl until she turned 18.

A joint team has been formed by the women and child development department and district programme officer Ramniwas Budhauliya, which will hold a programme to prevent child marriage.