Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, May 13: The wedding of a 17-year-old girl with a 37-year-old man scheduled at Veerabhadra Temple near Ullal on Sunday May 13 did not take place, said government officials.
Acting on a tip off, officials of the child welfare committee (CWC) were alerted to the marriage.
According to Asha Nayak, chairperson, child welfare committee, D K District, the girl Surekha (name changed), a resident of Kujambahithlu in Mastikatte, Ullal, was supposed to be married to Sureshlal, a native of Calicut, on Sunday morning. No case has been registered at the police station as the CWC officials finally made them understand the consequence of child marriage and called off the nuptials.
However, when officials reached the venue, the bride's family refused to cancel the marriage on the grounds that they had already spent about Rs 3 lac on marriage arrangements though the girl was not desirous of the wedding.
It has been found that the engagements took place over a year ago and ‘mehendi’ ceremony was held on Saturday May 12. Officials had a tough time convincing them starting from 9 am till 3 pm. It is also learnt that the girl’s father was furious about the cancellation of the marriage and mercilessly demanded that the last pinch of gold ornaments and sarees be returned to him.
Finally, the CWC took the girl into their custody and a medical examination to asses her age will be done.
According to law, a girl under the age of 18 getting married is a violation of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929. However, as the marriage did not take place, no police case was registered said sources at Ullal police station.