STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: A child marriage was prevented by district child protection unit in Kishtwar district on Monday, officials said.
The District Child Protection Officer (DCWO) Kishtwar swung into action after receiving information that two minors, aged below 16, are getting married in a remote village in Drabshalla Panchayat, they said. Protection Officer-Non Iinstitutional Care Touseef Iqbal Butt was deputed to the village and the marriage was stopped after the parents were persuaded with the help of the concerned sarpanch and explained about the drawbacks of the child marriage besides the legalities regarding the offence, the officials said. The parents were informed in detail about the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, which does not allow marriage of boys below 21 years and girl below 18 years, they said. Later, the officials said, the boy was handed over to his father through the Child Welfare Committee Kishtwar while PO-NIC was directed to produce the parents of the girl child before the committee for follow-up.