Child marriage stopped in Madurai

Officials stop it from being performed

Officials from the social welfare department and the city police stopped a child marriage from being performed in the city.

According to a press release here on Wednesday, following information that a family in Ismailpuram had proposed to perform the wedding of their daughter, aged about 16 years, with a youth at a private kalyana mandapam on June 28, the officials led by Social Welfare Officer Jayalakshmi took custody of the girl’s parents and offered counselling in the presence of police officers from Teppakulam station.

After explaining the consequences of child marriage, the parents and their relatives agreed to withdraw the wedding. Based on a written assurance, the officials dropped action.

Meanwhile, Collector Anshul Mishra has in a press note stated that the law does not permit child marriage and explained the punishment as per the laws.

Instead of just imposing legal action, as a first step, the officials would educate the parents about the ills of child marriage.

The action would not just be confined to the parents of the child, but also implicate all those concerned, he warned.