In an unprecedented move, the Dakshin Dinajpur police in West Bengal have booked decorators, caterers, priests, videographers, and even wedding hall staff in connection with a child marriage that was foiled at the last minute.
The marriage was intercepted on the night of May 10 when a 17-year-old girl was being forced into a wedlock in the Gangarampur area of the district, said police.
The action comes amid the district administration setting the target of creating a child marriage-free district by 2030.
“Child marriage is quite prevalent in the district. The complaints we receive represent only about one-tenth of the actual number of child marriages taking place. By analysing teenage pregnancy data, we gain insights into vulnerable pockets and blocks. Ending child marriage is no small task, but many small actions can create significant change,” District Magistrate (Dakshin Dinajpur) Bijin Krishna said, justifying the police action.
According to police, Swarup Basak of Shakti Vahini, an NGO, tipped them of a 17-year-old being forced to marry a 25-year-old man. “While the timely intervention prevented the solemnization of the marriage, a comprehensive list of attendees—including priests, caterers, videographers, and wedding hall staff—were present and actively participating in the arrangements,” said a senior official, adding they all have been booked, including the family of the girl and the man under the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
“Gangarampur police and we the members of Shakti Vahini, reached the wedding venue. The minor girl was already ready when we caught them red-handed,” said Mijanur Rahaman, the complainant.
“The investigation is underway, and the girl has been sent to a shelter home for counselling. Once the child protection agency sends its report, the girl will be reunited with the family,” said an officer.
“It is extremely critical to take strict action against all the people involved in the marriage to raise the accountability of people,” the Shakti Vahini told the district authorities in its complaint.
Meanwhile, the district administration has developed an app ‘Pratyayee’ and a comprehensive database of all teenage girls across the district, covering various blocks and panchayats. “We request NGOs to conduct orientation programs and awareness campaigns in vulnerable areas. Our database is extremely helpful. For example, if we receive information that a girl named Puja is about to be married, our database allows us to quickly locate her house and block, enabling us to deploy our resources faster. In such cases, we have successfully intercepted and stopped child marriages, though this happens only occasionally. In most instances, the information reaches us and we take action much before the marriage dates,” the DM said.
Rishi Kant, a social activist and a member of the Just Rights for Children Alliance, said the Supreme Court, in its recent judgment on child marriage, directed the appointment of Child Marriage Prevention Officers to reach out to rural areas and create a conducive environment for preventing child marriage.
“It is important to spread the message that child marriage is a crime and anyone and everyone found involved in it will be prosecuted legally. The West Bengal government has mandated that in child marriage incidents, FIRs must be filed and reach the DGP’s office within 24 hours. As per the National Family Health Report and NCRB data, Bengal stands in the top three positions in terms of child marriage. We are seeing a series of awareness programmes happening, and now, slowly, the fear of the law is emerging among people,” Kant said.