Dumka: Swift intervention by the Jamtara district administration prevented a child marriage from being solemnised at Borwa village under Narayanpur block on Tuesday, officials said.Acting on a complaint regarding the scheduled marriage of one Jamshed Ansari’s 16-year-old daughter, Jamtara deputy commissioner (DC) Ravi Anand formed a team, comprising panchayat secretary Amarendra Jha and Narayanpur block supervisor Niyoti Das and led by block development officer (BDO)-cum-circle officer (CO) Devaraj Gupta.The team reached the village where wedding preparations of the minor girl were under way. Officials counselled the family members and villagers about the negative impact of this social evil on the underage couple while warning that strict legal action would be taken against those involved as child marriage is a punishable offence, officials added.“The parents of the minor girl earn their livelihood by farming. By the time we reached Ansari’s home, the groom, along with his family members and friends, who belonged to an adjoining village, had arrived and the marriage of the minor girl was all set to be solemnised. We left the venue after obtaining Ansari’s undertaking that he would withhold the marriage of his minor daughter till she attains the age of marriage as allowed in the Constitution,” the BDO said.The BDO also urged the residents to inform authorities or Child Helpline if they come across any instance of child marriage.
