Two per day: Child marriage cases double in MP in 5 years

Bhopal: Child marriages are surging across Madhya Pradesh, with govt data showing cases where girls under 18 were married more than doubling over the past five years, from 366 incidents detected in 2020 to 538 in 2025. The figures, presented by the state govt in the assembly on Dec 2, 2025 — a copy of which is with The Times of India — translate to an average increase from one child marriage per day to two.The issue has gained urgency ahead of Akshaya Tritiya on April 20, when mass weddings across the state often see a sharp rise in such unions. On April 6, the govt directed all district collectors to intensify prevention efforts, citing the festival's history of spikes.To combat the trend, the state has appointed child marriage prohibition officers and ramped up activities under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, which translates to "Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter." These include well-planned programmes featuring appeals, workshops, rallies, street plays and bal chaupal, or children's community meetings.Special teams operate at district and block levels, alongside information groups, flying squads, control rooms and monitoring units. For Akshaya Tritiya, directives emphasise strict monitoring during mass weddings, with school and college students to be sensitised on the ill effects of child marriage through awareness rallies organised by school and anganwadi children.In villages, lists of girls under 18 will be compiled, their families counselled and kept under watch. Helpline numbers — 181, 1098 and 112 — are to be publicised for reporting, along with the Child Marriage Free India portal for complaints.The measures echo similar vigilance planned for Dev Uthani Ekadashi later in the year.