BALURGHAT, Sept. 24 -- A child marriage was foiled in Balurghat after police, acting on a tip-off from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), rescued a 15-year-old girl dressed as a bride from a wedding venue. The minor, originally from Hili, was brought to Balurghat for the marriage on Monday night.
According to police sources, the wedding was being organised with the consent of both families. However, as news of the police raid spread, the girl's family members fled the spot. The groom, a youth from Balurghat town, was arrested, though his name has not been disclosed. Police have registered a suo motu case under charges of kidnapping, provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the POCSO Act against members of both families. The rescued girl has been placed under the care of the CWC.
This was not the first attempt to marry off the minor. On a previous occasion, authorities had intervened and handed her back to her family after taking a written undertaking that she would not be married before turning 18. Since then, she was under close monitoring by the CWC and district administration. The arrested groom was produced before Balurghat court on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, police have launched a search for the absconding family members.
Balurghat IC Sumanta Biswas confirmed: "We have prevented the marriage of a minor. The groom has been arrested and a suo motu case has been filed. Investigation
is underway."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.