Pune District Officials Thwart Impending Child Marriage in Junnar, Applauded for Swift Action

Junnar, 26th February 2024: Upon receiving information about an impending child marriage involving a minor girl, the Pune District Women Child Development Officer, Monika Randhave, took swift action. Working in coordination with Deputy Chief Executive Officer Pune Zilla Parishad and District Women & Child Development Officer Jamsing Girse, District Women & Child Development Officer Amol Pawar, Taluka Protection Officer Bhagyashree Ghadge, Gramsevak, and Child Development Project Officer Somnath Vayal, along with the police, they intervened promptly. The team went to the marriage venue and successfully prevented child marriage, which was part of a mass wedding ceremony attended by a large number of participants.

During the intervention, the girl’s school certificate was examined, revealing her age to be 15 years and 6 months, while the boy was 24 years old. Counselling sessions were conducted with the parents and relatives of both parties, providing detailed information about the legal aspects. A written commitment was obtained, ensuring that the girl would not be married until she reached the age of 18 and the boy attained the age of 21.

The prevention of child marriage involved the collaborative efforts of Police Sub-Inspector Anil Kerurkar and his team, Child Development Project Officer Amol Pawar and his team, Gramsevak Somnath Vayal, Taluka Protection Officer Bhagyashree Ghadge, and Police Officer Priti Kawade.

It’s crucial to note that child marriage, as well as participating in such marriages, is an offence under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The act specifies penalties for engaging in child marriages. Authorities, as well as parents, are urged to verify age based on documents like the date of birth or school leaving certificate.

In the event of witnessing or having information about child marriages, individuals are encouraged to report it immediately to the administration through channels such as the child line number 1098, police helpline number 100, or contact police officers or the Women And Child Development Department. The District Women and Child Development Officer’s office in Pune has emphasized the confidentiality of the informant’s identity in such cases.