KRISHNAGIRI: Five child marriages were stopped in the last two days near Anchetti, Hosur and Veppanahalli by revenue, childline and the police department in the Krishnagiri district. All girls have been sent to a government-aided NGO’s reception unit at Dharmapuri. In the first incident on Thursday, Anchetti police constable N Naveedh and Doddamanju VAO Ilamparithi stopped a child marriage.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian had held an awareness programme in July following TNIE’s article on child marriages haunting tribal Kamagiri village in Bettamugilalam. Just 200 metre from the same panchayat, on Friday, the team along with Childline staff Madhappan prevented two other child marriages in Doddamanju. On Friday, near Anchetti, three other child marriages were stopped and the girls were produced at Child Welfare Committee.
As per norm, Doddamanju VAO Ilamparithi has to inform the incidents to the social welfare department, sources said. But, the VAO claimed that he does not have to report to the department and that he had informed Childline. The Child Welfare Committee saved two other girls near Shoolagiri. Collector Dr V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy said cases of the five incidents will be filed under the Child Marriage Act. District Social Welfare Officer Vijayalakshmi was unavailable for a comment.