Childline prevents seven child marriages in a fortnight

Nashik: When sixteen-year-old Shanti from Old Nashik was married off in Jalgaon against her will, she called up Childline and informed the NGO about her plight. The helpline intervened and convinced the parents to send the girl back to her husband's home only after she turned 18.
Shanti's is not an isolated case. During the current wedding season, the NGO has come across a number of instances of child marriage in the city.In the past fortnight, the NGO working for children in distress dealt with seven cases, besides having rescued three children stuck in similar scenarios in March.
Childline was able to prevent six child marriages of the seven cases it dealt with in the last fortnight. The seventh case was reported to them by the victim herself (Shanti) after the marriage was solemnised. Her parents have assured that they would send her to her husband's home when she turned 18.
"From March 20 to April 20, we prevented two child marriages in Nashik city, two in Yeola, one in Niphad, two in Malegaon, one in Lasalgaon, one in Jalgaon, and one in Nandgaon," said Praveen Aher of Childline.
"We came across a case similar to Shanti's early this year in Mumbai Naka and are constantly keeping a tab on the parents lest they send her to her marital home before she turns 18," said Aher.
In view of the wedding season, child marriages were on the rise in the district, and hence the helpline had to be extra vigilant during this period, he added.
From March 20 to April 20, we prevented two child marriages in Nashik city, two in Yeola, one in Niphad, two in Malegaon, one in Lasalgaon, one in Jalgaon and one in Nandgaon. In view of the wedding season, child marriages are on the rise in the district