A child marriage at Debaral village in Tarat grama panchayat under Nischintakoili block was stopped on Monday with interference of District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Cuttack. According to reports, minor girl Swarnamita (17) is studying in Plus II first year Arts in Panchayat Prahallad College at Nischintakoili. Her father Rabindra Kumar Sahoo had settled her marriage with one Soroj Kumar Sahoo of Krishnanandapur under Tirtol police station in Jagatsinghpur district. Considering the poor financial condition of the bride’s family, the bridegroom family had agreed to take her as “Tola Kania”. The marriage was to be held at a temple near the bridegroom’s house.
As per tradition, the bride’s family had observed Swarnamita’s ‘Mangan’ on Sunday. She was clad in bridal attire and was to be taken to the temple for the marriage, when DCPU officials and police rushed to the spot and prevented the wedding. Acting on a complaint made by a member of a local voluntary organization, District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Pragati Mohanty, Nischintakoili block CDPO cum child marriage prohibition officer Bijaya laxmi Panda, para legal volunteers of the District legal Aid Cell Sarmista Rani Nanda and Debaki Behera reached Swarnamita’s house along with police force belonging to Special Juvenile Police Unit, Cuttack. Rabindra gave an undertaking declaring not to marry off his daughter until she attained 18 years.