12-year-old girl forced to marry 26-year-old man

Warangal: Even as the government and non-governmental agencies campaigning against child marriages, the parents of a 12-year-old tribal girl in the district made their daughter enter into wedlock with a man, 14 years elder than her.  

According to police and the district women and child welfare department officials, the marriage of the girl, studying seventh standard at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya at Tirumalayapalli village of Rayaparthy mandal, was performed with 26-year-old man called Angoth Ramesh Naik on Tuesday. Ramesh is engaged in agriculture.

 The bride is the daughter of Bhukya Jyothi and Golya Naik of DC Thanda in Wardhannapet mandal while the bridegroom is the son of Angoth Bujji and Ram Naik of Chandru Thanda of the same mandal. The news of the child marriage reached the officials concerned a day later.

On receiving the news, Wardhannapet ACP Madhusudhan, circle inspector Adinarayana, sub-inspector Upender, Childline 1098 counsellor M Sujatha Devi and ICDS coordinator R Krishna Murthy visited the thanda to probe into the matter.

The officials counselled the newlywed couple, their parents and family members explaining that performing the marriage of a boy or girl, who are not majors, is forbidden by the law and such act would attract legal action.

Sujatha Devi told The Hans India that the newly married couple would be produced before the District Child Welfare Committee by Saturday for further action and they would proceed in accordance with the decision that would be taken in connection with the issue. 

Sub-inspector Upender informed that a case has been registered at Wardhannapet police station regarding the child marriage and action would be initiated against the parents of the bride and bridegroom and their family members, who helped in arranging the marriage.