A courageous child bride here fought against her parents and husband when they tried to end her studies abruptly. The girl who came out with flying colours in the SSC exam, could not reconcile with her parents and her husband when they refused to allow her to continue her studies by joining a college.
On a tip-off, HELP, an NGO, stopped the wedding of the 14-year-old girl with her maternal uncle last year and took an undertaking that she would not be married off before attaining majority. However, by hoodwinking the authorities the girl’s parents solemnised her marriage with her uncle, a construction worker from Vajjireddypalem near Aluru, with a promise that she would be allowed to continue her studies.
After the marriage, the girl continued her education and passed the SSC exam with an impressive GPA of 9.5. However, with her parents and husband not willing to send her to college for further studies, the depressed girl ran from pillar to post seeking help before knocking the doors of the NGO.
With no other option, the girl filed a complaint with the police against her parents and husband.
Cases registered
“We will make necessary arrangements to admit her to a government college,” said HELP programme officer and para-legal volunteer B.V.Sagar.
District Child Welfare Committee chairperson G.Bharati, who took a serious note of the minor girl’s parents performing her marriage even after giving an undertaking, asked the officials concerned to take stringent action as per law.
Registering a case against her parents and her husband under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act late on Saturday, Ongole I Town police began investigation.
The relatives of the girl who signed as witnesses when the undertaking was submitted by her parents to the child welfare committee, were also booked.
The girl was put in rescue home Bala Sadan on the orders of the CWC.
