SHE teams, the specialized women service wing of the State police, has averted two separate incidents of marriages of under-age girls in the district on Saturday.
The teams operating under the Rachakonda Police Commissionerate in Bhongir Division here for some time has been on a mission to curb the ill-practice.
The teams have been going round the district conducting a public awareness campaign, villages meetings, and counselling in the case of such identified situations.
On Saturday, following a tip-off from a villager who had participated in the campaign, SHE teams of the Choutuppal Police Division approached a victim’s house in Sarvel village, in Narayanpur mandal here, and conducted counselling sessions for the parents.
A 27-year-old resident of the village was to marry a minor girl, 11 years younger to him on Saturday.
In another incident, in Thurkapally police station limits in Bhongir, a marriage was scheduled to be solemnised on March 12 between a 25-year-old and a minor girl 10 years younger than him in Patcha thanda village. It was called off, following the police intervention.
The police also informed the identified victims, the families and villagers that under the Prevention of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in vogue, any person party to the marriage in the form of elders, guests, mediators, including printers of the wedding cards would be booked. A fine of ₹1 lakh imposed and they were liable for a minimum 2-year imprisonment.
Marriageable age according to the Act is 21 years for man and 18 for girl. SHE teams, child welfare officers and the police have been working in coordination to bring down the incidence, while also increasing awareness, officials said.
Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat appreciated the teams for the efforts in averting marriages, and setting a platform for exchange of dialogue to eradicate the social malady.
