Maharashtra: SSC student skips Maths paper, child marriage comes to light

AURANGABAD: A case of child marriage was discovered in Maharashtra’s Beed district after a girl student skipped her Mathematics paper during the ongoing SSC exams in the state, an official said on Tuesday.

Police have registered a case against 13 identified persons and 150-200 guests who had attended the wedding in Parli tehsil, the official said. The country’s law prohibits the solemnisation of marriage of a boy who is less than 21 years of age and a girl who is less than 18 years old.

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The 16-year-old girl did not take her Maths paper on Monday prompting an activist to raise an alert through Childline helpline – 1098. When gramsevak (village worker) Dnyaneshwar Mukade reached the girl’s place, he learnt about the girl’s marriage to a 24-year-old man, the official said.

Mukade tried to seek details about the alleged illegal act but her relatives did not respond to his questions. A case was then registered under the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929, the official said. Activist Tatwashil Kamble said the wedding was already over when official reached the village to probe into the incident.