The timely intervention of the district Childline activists on Friday foiled the marriage of a 28-year-old youth to a 16-year-old minor girl at Jajpur village under the Jataljaita pachayat of Gajapati district.
Sources said an anonymous caller rang up the Childline number 1,098 about the minor’s marriage. While the marriage was being solemnised between Biswanath Biswal and the minor girl, the Childline activists contacted local child development observer Sashi Gamang and informed her about the incident.
later, Childline activists Premika Bhuyan and laxmi Narayan Sahu and the local Anganwadi worker rushed to the marriage venue. They informed the bride’s father, relatives and other locals that child marriage and marriage of minor is illegal and both the parties would be punished as per law. The girl’s father submitted a written undertaking that he would not marry off his daughter before she reaches 18 years of age.
Notably, despite the efforts of the Government and civil society organisations to prevent marriage of minors and children, such marriages continue unabated in different parts of the State. The administration should sensitise the people on this, said local intellectuals.