UP teenager stops her own child marriage by calling helpline
A 16-year-old girl in Ballia district contacted the 1098 child helpline to prevent an arranged marriage to a 25-year-old man.
A 16-year-old girl in the Bairia area of Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, used the 1098 child helpline to stop her own child marriage last week, according to the Hindustan Times. The teenager, identified as Gudiya, had her marriage arranged to a 25-year-old man in Saudi Arabia, which was scheduled for Wednesday.
District Probation Officer Amarendra Kumar Potsayan told PTI that the girl was aware she was below the legal marriage age of 18. Following her call, a committee including the Department of Women and Child Development, the police, and a local child-protection organisation was formed to intervene.
The Suremanpur police assisted the team in reaching the village to verify the complaint. While the girl's parents agreed to cancel the wedding after being told child marriage is a punishable offence, the groom's family was initially reluctant due to social embarrassment from distributed invitations.
During the intervention, the girl's father cited his disability and difficult financial circumstances to justify the marriage. Officials explained the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act to both families to persuade them to call off the ceremony.
Both families were required to sign affidavits undertaking that the girl will not be married before she reaches the legal age. Azhar Ali, director of Navbharti Nari Vikas Samiti, said the incident highlights the importance of making children aware of their rights and available help.
Gudiya has completed her high school education and intends to pursue further studies now that the wedding has been called off.