Bajura, January 7

Security personnel and locals have now joined their hands to curb child marriage in Bajura.

At least two cases of child marriage were lodged at the Bajura District Court in the past one month.

Sub-inspector Krishna Bahadur Khadka of District Police Office Bajura said two weeks ago, police filed a case against Tek Bahadur Shahi, 24, of Kailashmandu – 8 for marrying a 15-year-old girl. The court later had sentenced Shahi to 13 days imprisonment, and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.

In yet another incident, Harka Badhuwal, 23, of Badimalika municipality – 7 had forcibly married a thirteen-year-old girl ten days ago. Security personnel have been investigating into the incident and taken the alleged under control.

They have handed the girls over to their parents.

The local police had initiated an anti-child marriage campaign in coordination with the locals a few months ago. They have been able to stop at least five child marriages since August last year, said DSP Dal Bahadur Bogati. In those cases, two weddings involved under-aged girls and boys, and three weddings involved underage girls.

Meanwhile, the District Development Committee, municipalities, VDCs, Women and Children Office, UNFPA, Save the Children, Peacewin, and other various governmental and non-governmental organisations have been conducting various awareness raising programmes against child marriages in the district.

Bale Bishwokarma, programme coordinator of Save the Children, said that these organisations were performing street plays, holding rallies, symposiums, interaction programmes, door-to-door campaigns, to name a few.