A team led by child marriage prohibition officer, Bishnupur and police team of Bishnupur, Women Police Station rescued a minor bride and a groom on Thursday, and lodged an FIR against both parents of bride and groom.
The minor boy and girl were reportedly married on Wednesday. Although the child marriage prohibition officer received the information of child marriage in the district late, a letter to rescue the children was promptly forwarded to Bishnupur police.
Child marriage prohibition officer Kishorjit told the Imphal Free Press over the phone that he received information of the marriage through a CWC member on Wednesday at around 6.30 pm. As the information he received was brief, it took some time to get details of the children and their parents, he said.
On Thursday, he along with SI Sundari of Women Police Station, Bishnupur went and rescued both bride and groom. After the rescue, the bride was produced before CWC, Bishnupur and kept at a Girl Child Home for further counselling.
The groom is being kept at an observation home for safety through further interrogation. He will also receive further counselling.
Kishorjit said that fathers of both bride and groom were arrested by Police and they are in police custody. An FIR has been registered against them under section 10 and 11 of Protection of Child Marriage Act read with 4 and 17 of POCSO Act.
In India there has been an alarming increase in incidents of child marriages during the pandemic. Indefinite closing of schools and ceasing of other social activities, indulgence into mobile phones excessively and other factors have led to elopement and marriages among adolescents during the pandemic.
If the authorities concerned fail to reach out and provide appropriate counselling services offline or online to the minors and young adolescents population which has been affected by the pandemic, such incidents which are harmful to the health and future of the youths are likely to increase during and post Covid situation in the society.
