Child marriage averted in Ongole

Ongole: The Childline and police officials in Ongole averted a child marriage on Friday. According to BV Sagar, paralegal volunteer and HELP program officer, they received information from a source that the family of a 13-year girl living at Vaddevani Kunta in Ongole has arranged her engagement with a 23-year-old relative Kumar, a resident of the same locality and scheduled the marriage on March 2, Saturday.

Upon information, Childline member K Sulochana, police staff PV Vasanth Kumar went to the home of the girl and counselled the families of the girl and man about the child marriage act. 

They said that will be punishable with 2 year imprisonment and Rs 1 lakh fine for performing the child marriage. 

As per the orders of the child welfare committee, they took an undertaking from the girl’s parents that they will not perform her marriage until she attains the legal age.