Amid the lockdown, the Murshidabad district police in Bengal has stopped four marriages in which all the brides and three grooms were minors.
The minority community families have been warned by the administration and made to sign undertakings stating that the minors will not be forced into marriage. These marriages have been organized in the district since Tuesday.
The father of one of the brides is a migrant labourer who recently returned from Odisha and was asked to stay in home quarantine. He violated the order.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Farakka community block administration halted three ceremonies being held in Maheshpur and Tarapur villages after sunset, apparently to avoid detection. All the brides and grooms were minors, officials found. Their guardians had arranged the ceremonies in the presence of a handful of relatives. Villagers were not invited.
Community block development officer (BDO) of Farakka, Rajarshi Chakraborty said, “We were tipped off by Kanyashree Yoddhas (volunteers of the state’s girl child welfare scheme) and some local sports clubs. We stopped all three marriages. Stern legal action will be taken if anyone tries to break the lockdown and arranges marriages anywhere.”
District administrative officials said on Friday, Akram Sheikh, a resident of Barajpara village in the Suti police station area, was about to hold the marriage of his minor daughter when police reached his house.
Sheikh, a migrant labourer, returned from Odisha two weeks ago along with some fellow villagers. All these people were asked to stay in home quarantine and posters were put up outside their houses, in keeping with protocol.
Sheikh, however went ahead with his plan. On Friday afternoon, the groom, Kabul Sheikh came to Barajpara from his village in Farakka. Officers from Suti police station rushed to Barajpara and stopped the marriage.
Talking to HT over the phone, Sheikh said, “Right now, I have no work. So I decided to organize the marriage. I did not invite too many people. I will not get my daughter married till she turns 19.”
Block development officer of BDO Suti-1 block Sourav Ghosh said, “Sheikh has given a written undertaking, hence we haven’t taken any legal action against the family. Villagers have been asked to follow social distancing guidelines.”
