In Coimbatore, since the lockdown, nil minor marriages were reported in many of these districts, for reasons known to all.

“There was a spurt in number of complaint calls received by us on minor marriages. But, it stopped completely over the last fortnight due to the lockdown,” said Solomonraj, Coimbatore district project co-ordinator of Child Line.

The Child Line in Coimbatore district had received about 102 calls on minor marriages till March 22 of 2020. “Until before the lockdown, there were about 10 rescue calls in the month of March alone. In total, this is a slight increase against 90 calls received in the previous year from April 2018 to March 2019,” he added.

It’s usually this time of the year, when minor marriages would be held in rural areas as schools get over and parents would give off the girls in marriage. Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, which usually have maximum number of minor marriages, had also reported nil cases since the lockdown.

“Now, we are focusing more on prevention by creating awareness among people in rural areas on the ill effects of minor marriages,” said S Prabakar, Krishnagiri district co-ordinator, UNICEF-CRY programme. In the Central districts the lockdown has come as a blessing in disguise for the officials.

Minor marriages regularly take place in the rural parts of Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Karur and the officials used to keep on vigil in these parts.

“Each district record at least three child marriages a month and during the annual vacations, the number goes up and the official used to be on their toes to reach out the spots and rescue the minor girls, but since the lockdown, no such incident has been recorded so far,” said, Prof F Carter Premraj, member of Tiruchy Child Welfare Committee. He said that places like Lalgudi, Musiri and Thuraiyur are the most vulnerable spots where more minor marriage take place. “Interestingly, no such incidents have so far been recorded,” he said. He also said that the calls on Child Line nodal office has also sharply declined. “This should be a positive sign,” he added.

Meanwhile, P Azeem, Inspector, Anti-Human Trafficking unit police from Tiruchy said, “These annual holiday months used to be very challenging for us as there used to be more number of minor marriages.

But now, we feel at ease, as no cases so far has been recorded,” she said.

However, she said that only one case was recorded in Tiruchy, but it was due to love affair. “The couple where the girl has just completed Class 11 had eloped and we traced them and handed over the girl to her parents who have been cooperating with the police. We have asked to produce the girl before CWC on April 15 until then, she would be under the care of her parents closely monitored by the police,” she said.

In the southern districts, according to C Jim Jesudoss, director, Child Line Madurai, high prevalence of such minor marriages were normally reported in parts of Usilampatti, Melur, Thirumangalam and Thiruparankundram. In Theni, the neighbouring district, six child marriages have been prevented in March in Andipatti and in Periyakulam. One of the prevention measures was witnessed post lockdown in Andipatti, sources said.

As for Tirunelveli District Child Protection Officer BS Dev Anand said, the prevalence of child marriage has come down when compared to last year in the district, “But it’s still a challenge while dealing with gypsies, for whom minor marriage has become a socio economic status.” At Alagiapandipuram village in Manur block

in Tirunelveli district, 93 gypsy children were provided shelter and education.