A 16-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh called the Child Helpline to stop her marriage to a 25-year-old man. Authorities intervened, counseled the families, and explained the legal consequences of child marriage. Both families eventually agreed to cancel the wedding, ensuring the girl’s rights were upheld under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026, a 16-year-old girl contacted the Child Helpline number 1098, seeking help to stop her child marriage. The girl, from Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, called the helpline after learning that her family had arranged her wedding to a 25-year-old man working in Saudi Arabia. She informed the officials that she was only 16 years old, but her parents had already finalized the wedding date, which was approaching soon.
As per the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, the legal age of marriage is 21 years for males and 18 years for females. The Act governs the legal age of marriage and penalizes those who arrange or conduct marriages before that age.
The girl was aware of the legal age of marriage and the actions she could take, which prompted her to contact the authorities and save herself from the planned marriage.
The parents of a 16-year-old girl in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, arranged her marriage to a man who was nine years older than her. They finalized the wedding and scheduled it for Thursday, November 5, 2026. The incident occurred in a village in the Bairia area, UP.
When the girl learned that her wedding had been scheduled, she decided to stand up for herself and seek help.
The girl contacted the Child Helpline, informing the officials about her age and the approaching wedding date. According to The Times of India, acting on her complaint, Amarendra Kumar Pautsayan, a district probation officer, formed a team comprising officials from the Women and Child Development Department and representatives of Navbharti Nari Vikas Samiti to ensure that the matter was resolved in time.
During the investigation, the team also received assistance from Suremanpur police station. With their support, the officials reached the village.
Following the intervention, the family members went through counseling. The girl's father said that their poor financial condition was the reason behind arranging the marriage. He explained that his disability had contributed to their financial difficulties, while the girl's mother worked at a nearby factory. He said these circumstances had prompted them to fix their 16 years old daughter’s marriage.
After they were given counselling, the girl's parents agreed to cancel the wedding. However, the groom's family initially resisted the decision, stating that wedding invitations had already been distributed and cancelling the marriage would cause social embarrassment.
The team then explained the legal consequences of child marriage and the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, to both families. The penalties under the Act include imprisonment for up to two years, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both.
Eventually, both families agreed to cancel the wedding and signed an undertaking stating that they will not make their daughter marry before they reached the legally prescribed marriageable age.
[Wc/VP]
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