Kolar: Officials step in to prevent child marriage

KOLAR: Timely intervention from government officials on Sunday prevented a child marriage in Kolar. They have initiated the process of sending the rescued girl to a government home.
Police along with the officials from the women and child welfare department arrived at the MR convention hall just in time to prevent Mune Gowda of Padisettyhalli in Malur from tying the knot on the girl.
Roopa, team leader, Makkala Sahayavani, said they received a complaint late on Saturday. The authorities checked the records and confirmed that the girl was a minor. On Sunday morning, her team alerted police and the child welfare department.
The girl will be shifted to a government home in KGF while a complaint has been registered against Gowda, the groom, his parents, the priest, owner of MR convention hall and the music troupe among others. Gowda is working as an electrician, while the girl had just completed her II PU exam at a private college. "She is 11 months shy of 18," an official said.
Roopa added that this was the third such incident in the last 11 days and in all cases, steps have been taken to house the girls at the KGF government home.