Thane: Authorities successfully averted the illegal child marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a 28-year-old man, scheduled for August 30 in Mamnoli village, Thane district.
The intervention was triggered by an urgent alert received at the Child Helpline control room in Pune regarding the upcoming ceremony. Child Helpline counselor Shraddha Naaghar immediately contacted the informant to gather details, confirming that the minor girl resided in Ulhasnagar.
Following directives from District Women and Child Development Officer Namita Shinde and the District Child Protection Officer, a joint task force—comprising ICDS Ulhasnagar Supervisor Sushma Kharat, Child Helpline Supervisor Swati More, and case worker Deepali Kamble—coordinated with the Vitthalwadi police station to locate the family.
Upon arriving at the specified address, officials found the house locked. Further inquiries with relatives revealed the family had traveled to their native village. Officials managed to contact the mother via phone and summoned her back to the scene, where verification of official birth and identity documents confirmed the girl was 16 years old.
"As soon as we were alerted by the Child Helpline, our teams coordinated with local police to verify the minor's age and intervene immediately. We have counseled the family, secured a legal undertaking, and handed custody back to the parents under strict supervision of the Child Welfare Committee. Protecting minors from illegal marriages remains our utmost priority," said Namita Shinde, District Women and Child Development Officer.
The groom and his parents were also ordered to appear before the Child Welfare Committee. However, after they failed to show up, officials issued instructions to conduct a home visit at the groom's residence.
"Child marriage is a legally prohibited practice. If citizens come across any information regarding a child marriage, they should immediately contact the Women and Child Development Administration, Child Helpline 1098, Anganwadi workers, Gram Sevaks, or local police stations," the administration urged in an official appeal.
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