The Dhubri police foiled an attempt to marry off a minor girl at Jhaleralga village under Gauripur police station of Assam’s Dhubri district.
A 16-year-old girl from Jhaleralga village in the district was saved from being married off due to the timely intervention of a police team led by Trinayan Bhuyan, deputy superintendent of police, Dhubri in the late night of Wednesday.
Trinayan Bhuyan, DSP, Dhubri told Northeast Now that acting on a tip-off from the local people that one Hafizur Ali, father of the said minor girl, was preparing for her wedding with Munna Seikh, an 18-year-old groom, the police intervened and apprehended three persons.
Among the three apprehended included the groom, Munna Seikh, while the parents including the bride were managed to flee from the spot, said Bhuyan.
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The two other apprehended persons have been identified as Reuzul Islam and Rupochand Ali, who are relatives of the groom.
On Thursday, the bride and her father reported to the Gauripur police station from where the bride was handed over to the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Dhubri with a follow –up action.
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On Friday, parents of both the bride and the groom have been directed to give a written undertaking to wait till the girl attains 18 years of age before the Child Welfare Committee of Dhubri district failing to which, legal action would be taken against the alleged parents, police sources said.
“We didn’t register a case since the parents agreed to postpone the marriage and gave an undertaking in this regard,” said Bhuyan.
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In Dhubri district, child marriage remains prevalent more among the Muslims.
A total of 14 cases of child marriage have so far been reported in the district till July 2018, said an official at CWC, Dhubri.