Officers of the Women and Child Development Department and the Child Helpline had a tough time on Thursday when they tried to rescue a minor girl, whose marriage had been scheduled for Friday.
Acting on a tip-off, R. Dileep, Child Development Project Officer of Belur, and staff from the Child Helpline reached Ghattadahalli in Halebid hobli of Belur taluk. They had received information that a 17-year-old girl was scheduled to get married on Friday. The officers noticed the preparations being made for the marriage. Many relatives had gathered and a pandal had been put up.
The officers tried to convince the family members to cancel the marriage as she was still a minor. However, the family members maintained that they were not conducting the marriage. They refused to send the girl along with the officers. They assured the officers that they would bring the girl before the Child Welfare Committee in Hassan on Friday, forcing the officers to return. However, it is said that the girl’s marriage had been fixed with a boy from Chikkamagaluru at 7.30 a.m. on Friday.
When The Hindu brought this issue to the notice of Additional SP B.N. Nandini, she said the girl would be rescued.
