Members of a helpline rescued a minor girl who was being married off to a 36-year-old man from Tamil Nadu. Enquiries revealed that the girl’s mother had taken ₹50,000 from the man, who was already married and had two children.
Based on a tip-off from an anonymous caller, a team from Childline, led by coordinator Jennifer Y., along with the Byatarayanapura police, went to Ambedkar Nagar at Nayandahalli, where the marriage was to take place. They rescued the 15-year-old minutes before she was to tie the knot.
The girl told officials that she was a class 9 student at a private school, but was forced by her mother to discontinue studies and get married. She is one of eight siblings, all raised by their single mother, police said.
The woman, who works as a domestic help, had married a man with three children. They had five children together, but he deserted the family. With no means to take care of her children, she decided to marry off one of her children in order to repay the family’s debts, Ms. Jennifer said.
According to Fr. Prasad S.D.B., director of Bosco Childline, the girl wishes to continue studies and has requested officials to help her two younger sisters as well. “It is unfortunate that child marriages continue unabated. Though there is a law and provision to safeguard the interest of children, nothing much has been done,” he said.
