Underage girl calls child helpline, escapes child marriage in Humnabad taluk

BIDAR: An teenage girl escaped child marriage after she called the child helpline 1098 and informed the officials about her marriage which had been fixed by her parents. The incident occured at a village in Humnabad taluk recently.

The 17-year-old girl told the child helpline officials that she was studying in PUC first year and though she was not for it, her parents had fixed her marriage with a youth on June 15. She also told them that invitation cards had also been distributed and asked to be rescued.

Humnabad tahsildar Anjum Tabassum immediately visited the educational institution where the girl is studying and confirmed her age. Then, accompanied by other officials, the tahsildar visited the village and took the girl’s family to task. The parents then admitted to their mistake and gave an undertaking that the girl would not be married off till she attains legal age.

Reacting to the incident, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights member Shashidhar Kosambe said, “It is commendable that th girl called the child helpline. People should be more aware and should not get trapped in such social evils. It is heartening to note that girl children in Basavakalyan taluk and Humnabad taluk are speaking up against child marriage”.

“Girls should work to achieve their dreams and it is the objective of the commission. We will take up more awareness campaigns and we are confident that we will put an end to this practice in the coming years”, he added.