Child marriage foiled in Odisha capital; minor girl rescued

Bhubaneswar: The child protection unit with help of Commissionerate police foiled a child marriage here in the State capital yesterday.

The officials rescued a minor girl, a slum dweller, from a Kalyan Mandap at Bharatpur area and detained the groom during raid.

The girl was to be married off a 29-year-old man from Kandhamal district.

According to reports, the BMC CDPO Sasmita Hota directed the Anganwadi Supervisor Jhulana Sethi to stop the illegal act.

On directive by the CDPO, Sethi along with childline’s Harapriya Pati and Prashant Sahoo reached the venue while the marriage was underway. However, the bride’s family members obstructed the officials from conducting the raid and locked them in a room.

Acting on a tip-off, the Khandagiri police rushed to the spot to rescue the officials and the minor girl from the Kalyan Mandap.

The cops also detained the groom in this connection. He was released from the police custody following interrogation.

The girl has been kept at the childline and strict action will be taken against the culprits after counselling scheduled today.