JOIN USA team led by the Mandya district Child Protection Officer raided a marriage hall in Srirangapatna taluk on Wednesday and prevented the marriage of a minor girl.
On a tip-off, the officials visited Sri Bharathi Kalyana Mantap at Baburayanakoppalu, where the marriage of the 17-year-old girl was to take place with C R Puneet (23) of Channegowdanadoddi, Maddur taluk, Mandya district.
When District Child Protection Officer Dr Divakar asked for the bride’s proof of age, her parents were taken aback.
As they failed to produce documents to show that the bride was aged more than 18 years, the officials directed the families to stop the marriage.
As the relatives of the bride took the officials aside stating that they would provide the documents, the bride and the groom went “missing” from the kalyana mantap.
The officials waited there for over two hours and refused to leave the place till the “missing couple” returned.
When they did come back, Dr Divakar instructed the jurisdictional officers to take necessary action and the team left the kalyana mantap.
Child Development Programme Officer Manjunath told Deccan Herald that the girl’s parents have been told to submit the age proof within 24 hours, failing which action would be taken against them.