Police 'laxity' leads to marriage of minor in Anekal

 The alleged laxity on the part of the police led to the marriage of a minor girl in Attibele in Anekal of Bangalore Urban district.

According to sources, the Bosco Child Helpline received a call from Anekal on Saturday about a possible child marriage in Anekal on Sunday.

Immediately, the Child Rights Commission (CRC) alerted the local Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), who approached the Anekal police.

The police, initially, sent a constable with the CDPO to the house of the prospective bride and brought her to the police station along with her parents.

Complaint dismissed

The CDPO told the police that he will produce the girl before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for further directions. However, the police, it is said, succumbing to pressure from local people, dismissed the complaint and obtained an undertaking from the parents of the bride stating that they will not marry her off.

“However, on Sunday, the marriage of the same girl was performed by her parents at Attibele. Despite being told about the situation, the local inspector Raghavendra and Circle Inspector Kishore Kumar, did not heed the CDPO’s warnings and are now responsible for their action,” said Fr Edward Thomas, a member of the CRC. The girl is said to be aged 17 years and three months.

FIR lodged

According to Thomas, following the marriage, the Child Rights Commission has filed a first information report against the parents and the police have accepted it.
“We will also register a complaint with the police over the gross inaction by the two station officers of Anekal,” he said.