Mangalore, May 13: In a sudden raid on a wedding ceremony, the officials of the Department of Women and Child Welfare in association with the police on Sunday prevented a minor girl being married off to a man double her age against her will at Ullal near here.
The 17-year-old premature bride got a news lease of life when a team of five officials including deputy director of the Department Shankunthala, Child Welfare Committee President Asha Nayak, and rural CDPO along with others intervened to nullify the illegal engagement between two families.
Hundreds of relatives of both the families witnessed this drama at Veerabhadra temple in Ullal.
It is learnt that the girl who belonged to a family of Telugu Shetty caste residing at Ullal Masthikatte, had opposed the marriage from the beginning. However, her parents were forcing her to marry Suresh Lal, a 37-year-old man, who was running a workshop in Calicut.
The officials warned the girl's parents not to go ahead with the marriage against her will and before she completes 18-years. Enraged over the incident, the girl's parents decided to abandon their daughter and asked the officials to take her along with them.
Following the incident the Department took the custody of the girl and admitted her to Eshwarananda Balika Ashrama in Kankanady.
Ms Shakunthala said that the raid was carried out on a tip off by a media person.
She also said that without the police help the officials would not have prevented the marriage as majority of the family members were in inebriated condition.
“As the girl is a PUC drop out, and has expressed her desire to continue education, we will ensure that the girl pursues her education from the Ashrama,” she said.
Interestingly, the groom Suresh Lal married another girl Pavithra from Thokkottu later in the evening.
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