Child marriage prevented in Asifabad

The girl was shifted to the Sakhi One Stop Centre (SOSC) for counselling

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Officials of the Child Protection department in association with police and the women development and child welfare department prevented the marriage of a minor girl by counselling her parents at Esapur village in Kerameri mandal on Thursday.

District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Burla Mahesh, in a statement, said they could jointly avert the wedding of a minor girl scheduled to be performed with a 40-year-old man from Chandrapur district in Maharashtra by providing counselling to parents of the bride and groom, following a tip-off. The girl was shifted to the Sakhi One Stop Centre (SOSC) for counselling.

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Mahesh said that performing child marriages was an offence as per the law. He advised the public to report child marriages by contacting toll free 1098 or 112. He cautioned that a groom, elders and priest could attract an imprisonment up to 2 years if found guilty.

Sakhi OSC administrator Mamatha, District Child Line coordinator Praveen Kumar, staffers Jhansi Rani and Venkaeshwar took part in the operation.