A distressing incident in Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka, has raised serious concerns about child marriage. A 15-year-old girl was forcibly married to a 45-year-old man in Goramadugu village, Shidlaghatta taluk. The marriage was conducted without the consent of the girl’s mother, Rukmini, and under duress from her father, Narayanaswamy. Reports indicate that Narayanaswamy threatened to harm his wife and daughter if they opposed the marriage.
The secretive ceremony, which involved only the two families, has sparked fears for the girl’s safety and well-being. The Chikkaballapura police have launched an investigation and filed a case against the individuals involved in the illegal and coercive union.
This incident comes amid growing efforts to combat child marriage in India. NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Association for Voluntary Action (AVA), has announced an initiative to make 15,000 villages across the country free from child marriage within the next year. This initiative focuses on vulnerable areas to safeguard children from exploitation, including child marriage, child labour, and trafficking.
Aligned with the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, the partnership will create safe spaces, known as Bal Surakshit Grams, to protect and empower children, especially young girls, in some of India’s most underdeveloped districts.