Malappuram: A court in Manjeri has prevented the marriage of nine schoolgoing girls at Karuvarakundu and issued an injunction order to the parents who were planning to solemnise the event during the summer vacation. This comes barely six months after a court had thwarted 12 under-age marriages in Nilambur.
The judicial first class magistrate court in Manjeri issued the order on Monday evening asking the parents not to proceed with their plans. This was on the basis of a petition filed by the child development officer, Kalikavu, along with an investigation report.
The parents had appeared before the court on Monday as they were issued a notice to file their objections if any.
The court held that the copies of birth certificates showed that the girls had not attained the age of majority.
The injunction order was issued under section 13 (6) of the prohibition of child marriage Act 2006. The violation of the order would lead to two years of imprisonment and a penalty of Rs 1 lakh.
The case emerged last week when one of the minor girls alerted the Childline through the toll-free number seeking the authorities' help to prevent her proposed marriage so that she could continue her studies. The girl had also revealed the plight of eight of her friends who were set to be married off against their will. The Childline alerted the district child protection unit through the child marriage prevention officer of Kalikavu, Savithri Devi, who also acts as the child marriage protection officer. She found that the marriages were slated to be held during the summer vacation.
The authorities have identified the parents and families of the nine girls and warned them of the legal consequences. “Though the parents have agreed to put off the marriages, we also approached the magistrate court for an injunction,” Devi said.
In October last year, the judicial first class magistrate in Nilambur had thwarted 12 child marriages through a similar order on the intervention of the child development officer.
