Acting on a tip-off, a team of officials prevented the marriage of a 16-year-old minor girl scheduled here on Monday.
According to a press release issued here, the team of officials, led by Gracy Gonsalves, Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare, reached the spot before the marriage took place.
The team counselled the mother and other relatives of the girl and advised them not to marry her off before she reached the age of 18 as it was illegal and punishable by law. The latter agreed and gave a written bond that they would not marry off the girl till she was 18.
The team also questioned the priest who was to conduct the rituals. He said that when he asked the girl’s mother, she had informed him that the girl was a major. Hence, he had agreed to officiate it. Only now he learnt that she was a minor, the priest said.
The priest then gave a written bond team stating that henceforth he would seek documents to ascertain the age of the couple and then agree to conduct wedding rituals, the release said.
