Agartala, February 13: The North Tripura district administration on Thursday night foiled an attempted child marriage and rescued a minor girl in a swift joint operation, officials said.
According to sources, authorities received specific information that the marriage of a minor girl from a minority community had been arranged in the Chandpur area under Churaibari police station in Dharmanagar subdivision. Acting promptly on the tip-off, a joint team comprising officials from Childline and the sub-divisional administration conducted a late-night drive to prevent the marriage from taking place.
The operation was led by Deputy Collector and Magistrate Tanujit Saha. Upon reaching the location, officials interacted with the minor and her family members. The family denied that any marriage had been planned and stated that the girl was currently pursuing her studies, with examinations scheduled to begin on February 17.
As a precautionary step, the administration obtained a written undertaking from the girl’s guardians. The undertaking clearly stated that arranging her marriage before she attains the legally mandated age of 18 would invite strict legal action and penalties under existing laws related to child marriage.
Speaking on the matter, Saha said the district administration has been consistently conducting awareness programmes aimed at preventing child marriage, particularly in rural and vulnerable areas. He noted that a dedicated awareness campaign vehicle has been visiting schools to educate students about the legal implications and social consequences of underage marriage, while also encouraging them to report such incidents.
He further acknowledged that despite regular interventions by Childline and the administration, multiple socio-economic factors continue to contribute to the persistence of child marriage in certain pockets.
