Kota (Rajasthan): Three 14-year-old girls and an underage man were rescued while pre-wedding functions were on at a village here, a Child Rights Department official said on Thursday.
The weddings were to take place on Friday on the occasion Akshaya Tritiya', considered auspicious for marriages. Child marriages are often reported in rural areas of Kota and Bundi on this day, officials said.
The Rajasthan High Court had earlier directed the state government to ensure that no child marriage takes place in the state and said village heads and panchayat members will be held accountable if they are solemnised.
On Wednesday evening, the police received a call at the 1098 helpline number from Kaithungram village reporting that the marriages of three girls and an 18-year-old man were planned to take place on Friday and pre-wedding functions were underway, the Assistant Director at the Child Rights Department Arpit Jain said.
Following this, police teams reached the spot and rescued the victims, including three girls aged 14 and a man, Jain said. The legal age to get married for women is 18 years and for men is 21.
The rescued girls were produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and sent to a shelter home, Jain said. A total of 10 child marriages have been prevented since April this year in Kota. The district headquarters has also set up a control room to respond to the calls, he said.
Bundi is another region where child marriages are conducted within the Gurjar, Meghwal, Mali, Bairwa Meena and Bheel communities every year on 'Akshaya Tritiya', he said.
Over 50 complaints on child marriage were reported at Bundi district headquarters. Redressal action was taken on them accordingly and injunction orders were also issued in some cases as the district administration is vigilant to stop child marriage', Assistant Director, Social Justice and Empowerment Department in Bundi Bhairu Prakash Nagar said.
The district collector along with other officials has conducted several meetings with religious and community leaders and those involved in catering services to comply with the directions on child marriages, Nagar said.
Notably, the Akha Teej' festival that comes a few days after Akshaya Tritiya' is considered another auspicious day and several child marriages are planned to take place.
