Eight booked for child marriage in Chamarajanagar

The Chamarajanagar women’s police have booked eight persons in connection with a child marriage that had taken place in a village in Chamarajanagar taluk.

After a complaint was received on the District Child Protection Unit’s (DCPU) Child Helpline 1098 regarding a child marriage between a 15-year-old girl and a 27-year-old man, the officials visited the house of the girl and confirmed that a marriage had indeed taken place.

A case has been booked under Sections 9 (1) and 11 under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, against the groom, his father, his mother, the minor girl’s father and mother, two relatives of the minor girl, and the priest, who conducted the marriage.

According to a statement here, the case was registered based on a complaint by the coordinator of the DCPU’s helpline.

The Chamarajanagar District Child Protection Officer, in a statement, pointed out that child marriage was a serious obstacle to national development, and it was the duty of every citizen to prevent it.

“Child marriage was a punishable offence under the law. In such cases, the parents, relatives, priests, and anyone aiding or participating in the marriage are considered guilty and can be prosecuted,” he said, adding that the law provides for a punishment of up to two years of imprisonment and a fine up to ₹ 1 lakh.