15-year-old’s marriage prevented in Panipat

Panipat, April 18

The district Women’s Protection and Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, along with a police team, on Thursday prevented the marriage of a 15-year-old girl in the city.

The officer, Rajni Gupta, said upon receiving information from the police control room and a non-governmental organisation (NGO), she and some police officials reached Hari Singh Chowk, where the wedding ceremony was going on.

During investigation, it was found that the bride was found only 15 years old. The baraat had come from Uttar Pradesh. The girl’s mother said she belonged to Saharanpur (UP) and her husband had been living separately for the last seven years as he was a drunkard. She said her younger daughter had eloped with a boy during lockdown. To prevent a similar situation, she wanted to get her daughter married.

On the directions of the Child Welfare Committee, the girl had been sent to a childcare institute for her safety, Gupta said.