Teen’s complaint helps police avert 2 child marriages

Nagpur: A teenage girl's complaint of sexual exploitation exposed a shocking chain of events including a youth's back-to-back plans to marry two minor girls and an impending child marriage within his own family, both foiled just in time by authorities in Kondhali on Wednesday.Officials said a 19-year-old youth allegedly lured a minor girl with the promise of marriage and subjected her to repeated sexual exploitation. After abandoning the victim, he reportedly began preparations to marry another minor in Wardha. The case surfaced after the survivor approached the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and filed a complaint.Acting on the tip-off, a joint team of DCPU officials, Childline 1098, the Zilla Parishad education department and Kondhali police raided the residence of the accused.While the youth had absconded, officials discovered during a search of the house that the accused's 17-year-old sister had already been engaged. Additionally, preparations for her marriage were underway. The team intervened immediately, halting the ceremony and preventing what would have been a second instance of child marriage.Authorities confirmed that both interventions were carried out under provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and further legal action in the case is being initiated. Officials said that what began as a probe into a complaint of exploitation led them to another impending child marriage. Timely action ensured both were stopped.District child protection officer Mustaq Pathan said the process of registering an FIR in the sexual exploitation case is underway at Kondhali police station and will proceed after the victim's statement is recorded. He added that relevant sections of Pocso Act will be invoked, and efforts are ongoing to trace the absconding accused.The operation was conducted under the guidance of district women and child development officer Sunil Mesare, with officer Pathan, Childline representatives, police personnel, education department officials and NGO members forming part of the team. Both minors have been placed under protective care, officials said.
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