Gaighat, December 12

A team led by District Administration Officer of Udayapur Krishna Chandra Ghimire cancelled a child marriage at Triyuga Municipality of the district today.

The DAO-led team had reached the girl’s house at the municipality yesterday and cancelled the wedding programme of 16-year-old Smita Karki.

Representatives from the District Child Networks and Woman Rights activists were present in the team.

Triyuga Municipal Child Networks had written to the DAO requesting him to cancel the wedding programme as Smita’s guardians had forced her to get married.

As per the information provided to the DAO, the Chief District Office had directed that the wedding be cancelled as the girl was under-age.

The wedding programme was cancelled after the Chief District Officer threatened the guardians with action against them as per the law of the land.

Meanwhile, Secretary at the child networks Pradita Pokhrel said the child club was compelled to reach the DAO after Smita’s father Nawaraj Karki prepared to get his daughter married forcibly.

“We repeatedly requested the girl’s guardians to take the decision back, but in vain,” she said. The legal marriage age in Nepal is 20 years.