Authorities Halt Child Marriage of 16-Year-Old Minor in Thane District
Authorities in Thane district successfully intervened to avert the illegal child marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a 28-year-old man, which had been scheduled to take place on August 30 in Mamnoli village.
The intervention began after an urgent alert was received at the Child Helpline control room in Pune regarding the planned wedding. Child Helpline counselor Shraddha Naaghar contacted the informant to verify details, confirming that the minor girl resided in Ulhasnagar.
Following directions from District Women and Child Development Officer Namita Shinde and the District Child Protection Officer, a joint task force was mobilized. The team, comprising Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Ulhasnagar Supervisor Sushma Kharat, Child Helpline Supervisor Swati More, and case worker Deepali Kamble, coordinated with the Vitthalwadi police station to locate the girl's family.
Officials initially found the family's residence locked upon arrival. Inquiries with relatives indicated that the family had traveled to their native village. Officials reached the mother by phone and summoned her back to the location, where official birth and identity records were inspected, confirming the girl was 16 years old.
"As soon as we were alerted by the Child Helpline, our teams coordinated with local police to verify the minor's age and intervene immediately. We have counseled the family, secured a legal undertaking, and handed custody back to the parents under strict supervision of the Child Welfare Committee. Protecting minors from illegal marriages remains our utmost priority," said Namita Shinde, District Women and Child Development Officer.
The groom and his parents were also directed to appear before the Child Welfare Committee. After they failed to attend, authorities issued orders to conduct an inspection at the groom's residence.
The administration reminded the public that child marriage is legally prohibited and urged citizens to report any such incidents to the Women and Child Development Administration, Child Helpline 1098, Anganwadi workers, Gram Sevaks, or local police stations.
