Child marriage prevented in Bihar

Police today claimed to have prevented a child marriage in the district and arrested the father of the girl, her 27-year-old prospective groom and his father.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team went to the house in Brahmin Tola locality under Basopatti police station area where the 15-year-old girl was being married off to a person hailing from Arer police station area.

"The bride's father claimed that his daughter was a major and not 15 years old as had been reported to us. But when we sought proof, he could produce none. Hence, we arrested him along the groom and his father," SHO of Basopatti police station Sanjay Kumar said.

A case has been registered against the three under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, the SHO said adding that further investigations were on.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had launched on October 2 last year a campaign against child marriage.

A state-wide human chain was also organized at the instance of Kumar in January this year as a mark of resolve against social evils of child marriage and dowry system.