Two child marriages averted

Darsi: Acting on a tip-off on Tuesday, the District Legal Services Authority and Childline 1098 staff have successfully stopped two child marriages of girls from Botlapalem village in Darsi mandal of Prakasam district.

According to BV Sagar, the HELP programme officer and paralegal volunteer, the DLSA secretary T Raja Venkatadri received the information of the child marriages from an unknown person and forwarded the same to the Childline 1098 with orders to avert the marriages. 

After inquiry, they found that the marriage of a Class VII student aged 13 years girl is scheduled with her 23 year old maternal uncle on March 7 and the marriage of a Class X student aged 16 years girl is scheduled with a man of 23 years old on March 9.

As per the orders of DLSA secretary, Sagar informed the same to the DEO VS Subbarao, SI Sasikumar, VRO V Venkata Subbaiah, and CDPO Phani Rajakumari. The officials sent the Women Police Shakti team members N Jaya, Sk Mubin Begam, Sk Shannu, Sk Basha, school head mistress M Satyavathi, aanganwadi teacher Tirupatamma to the houses of the girls and found that the scheduling of the marriage is true.

They counselled the parents of the girls that performing a marriage to the girl below 18 years of age is illegal and they can be punished with 2 years of imprisonment and Rs 1lakh fine as per the Prevention of Child marriages act. 

The parents of the girl submitted an undertaking that the marriage is cancelled and would not perform her marriage until she completes 18 years of age. 

Sagar said that public can call the Childline on toll-free number 1098 and share information about child marriages and other issues related to children rights and safety.