Child marriage foiled

Visakhapatnam: Volunteers of Child Rights Protection Forum, officials of ICDS and police foiled a child marriage that was to take place on Sunday in a posh area of Pandurangapuram on the Beach Road.

On a tip off, the forum volunteers, ICDS project director K Chinmayee Devi, Child Welfare Committee chairman Shiek Hussain, member A Raqeeb and police personnel visited the apartment on Friday morning when the family members of the girl were conducting a function prior to the marriage.

District child protection officer Allu Satyanarayana tod the family members that he was shocked to learn about the child marriage in such posh locality where highly educated people live. He told the parents about the problems the minor girl would face both physically and mentally if the marriage was performed at a young age.

He explained about the legal implications which include a jail term and a penalty. The officials later took an undertaking from the parents that they would not perform the marriage till the girl attained 18 years of age. Child Rights Protection Forum member Tanmayee counselled the girl and explained her about the harm of getting married early.

Forum convener Gondu Sitaram said the whole neighborhood was shocked to learn about the child marriage. Lots of people gathered at the house and asked the girl’s parents to desist from such marriage.