The child marriage of a 16-year-old girl, scheduled for July 6 in Tatopani Rural Municipality-4, Jaitpur, has been stopped. This intervention was made possible by the coordinated efforts of activists including Child Network, Awaj, Police, local authorities, and INSEC.
A 16-year-old girl from Chandannath Municipality-8 was evicted by 20-year-old Prakash Sunar of Tatopani Rural Municipality-4 Jaitpur a week ago, and they were preparing to get married on July 6.
After receiving information about child marriages in Jaitpur, INSEC district representative Mandatta Rawal informed Nanda Prasad Chaulagai, the Chairperson of Tatopani Rural Municipality. Subsequently, Chaulagai sent two police officers from Aireni Police Station to Jaitpur. Additionally, a team led by Gokarna Sunar, Chairperson of the Chandannath Municipality Children’s Club, also reached Jaitpur and interrupted the marriage.
Kamala Kathayat of the Chandannath Municipality Women’s and Children’s Branch said that child marriage was prevented when the officials of the children’s club and the police arrived on time. On the night of July 6, the girl was taken back to her home in Chandannath-8 overnight without getting married. Additionally, she added that the children’s club filed a complaint on July 7 at the women’s and children’s cell of the district police office for legal action.
According to DSP Chedilal Kamati of the District Police Office, an application has been received by the women and children cell regarding child marriage. He stated that they would arrest the accused and take necessary legal action.