Saving innocence: Cops stop child marriage in Kudligi

BALLARI: Two days before the cabinet decided to accept Justice Shivaraj Patil committee’s recommendations to annul child marriages, local police and officers of the department of child welfare prevented the wedding of an under aged boy and girl in Kudligi taluk, thus indicating that the menace was rampant in Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

On Monday, the marriage of 18-year old girl from Gundamunugu Gollarahatti in Kudligi was fixed with 19-year old boy from neighbouring Jagalur taluk. As child welfare officers learnt about this marriage, they arrived with police officers to Gundumunugu Gollarahatti and informed the parents of girl that boy was below 21-years and therefore this wedding would be against the law. On hearing about the arrival of authorities at the venue, parents of the boy did not show up at all.

There are several instances where the authorities of child and woman welfare and police department look at child marriages only from the point of view of the girl and often, let parents of the boy off the hook.

As per The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, any marriage involving a girl below 18 years of age or a boy below 21 years is a child marriage. Despite the Act, 15 per cent of girls in rural areas are married before they turn 13. “People have their own means to bypass rules,” said a social worker from Koppal.

“Sometimes they forge age certificates. Doctors in government hospitals here used to accept bribes and issue age certificates to minor girls.”

Social workers said child marriages are entwined with religion, in many cases. For example, in some places, attending a grandchild’s wedding is a shortcut to heaven.

Shilpa Muthappa Naganur, 16, from Deodurga in Raichur, was married last year to her first cousin.

Her grandmother Ningamma had become very weak and her last wish was to see Shilpa married. Interestingly, Ningamma is still alive.

Child marriage is a custom in many places in north Karnataka like Koppal, Raichur and Ballari. “You have no choice but to follow the custom,” said Yellamma, 60, who got married at five.

Activists working to prevent child marriages said a two-pronged strategy would help stop these marriages.

First, creation of awareness of this social evil and its deleterious effects on the society and secondly, a strong legal framework including a thorough investigation, effective prosecution and speedy trial leading to punishment of the guilty.