Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The wedding of a minor girl (18) and boy (13) was stopped in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on Friday after officials from the Women and Child Development Department reached the venue during pre-wedding rituals.
According to information, the matter came to light in the Sanjay Nagar area under Rau police station after officials received a complaint and reached the spot.
Here, the bride was 18 years old, but the groom was only 13. When the team arrived, they found clear signs of wedding preparations.
Initially, the families denied the marriage, but documents later confirmed the situation. The wedding was scheduled for April 19.
The flying squad said they reached the venue during the haldi ceremony and spoke to the families.
After counselling, the families agreed to stop the wedding, though they said invitations had already been sent.
Authorities allowed the families to serve food to guests on Akshaya Tritiya but strictly stopped the marriage.
Officials also said the girl will have to attend the anganwadi centre daily until she becomes an adult.
The administration said strict action will continue against child marriage cases in the district.
Second case
Another case was reported from the Ahilya Paltan area of Indore on Friday.
When the officials reached the spot, they found the house fully decorated. The wedding mandap was ready, and the haldi ceremony was underway.
The girl’s father claimed that marriage at 16 is allowed in their community, but he could not provide any legal proof. On verification, officials found that the girl was about 6 months short of turning 18.
The team explained the legal provisions, punishment, and risks under the Child Marriage Prohibition Act to both families. After a long discussion, they agreed to postpone the wedding.
Since preparations had already been made and guests invited, authorities allowed the family to serve food to guests but strictly prohibited the marriage.
Officials also said both families will be monitored on April 19, and strict action will be taken if any attempt is made to conduct the wedding.
