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1098: Complaints for atrocities against children

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Mysore/Mysuru: First Information Report (FIR) must be filed soon after the receipt of complaint regarding child marriage, said C.B. Ryshyanth, Superintendent of Police (SP), Mysuru District.

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on ‘Child Rights Protection Act’ organised by Directorate of Child Rights, Department of Woman and Child Development and District Children Rescue Unit here yesterday.

Giving strict instructions to Officers and staff, the SP said that any complaint regarding child marriage, be it from officials or from citizens, must be taken up immediately and file FIR under Child Marriage (Prevention) Act. At any cost they must protect rights of women and children. Delay in filing case was like encouraging violators of law. It was unfortunate that many of them were not aware of the existing laws to check atrocities on women and children. Besides, communication gap among departments was hampering in execution of law. Need of the hour was the close co-ordination among the departments concerned to ensure justice for them, he added.

R. Shivakumar, Additional SP, said that their responsibility was to check atrocities committed against women, children and destitute and bring them to the mainstream of society.

K. Padma, Deputy Director, Department of Women and Child Welfare, sought the co-operation of Police and Education Departments to protect the victims of drug abuse, child marriage, molestation and other crime against women.

Dr.S. Diwakar, District Child Protection Officer, spoke on ways to protect child rights.  Prasannakumar, Assistant Police Children Welfare Officer  also spoke. Srinivasaraje Urs, Probationary Officer at District Child Rescue Unit spoke on ‘Child rights protection Act and guidelines.”

26 child marriages during lockdown at Periyapatna

During lockdown, as many as 26 child marriages took place in Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru district and it could not be stopped due to non-co-operation of Police, said Kavitha, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO).

She was speaking at a training programme organised at the Office of Superintendent of Police here yesterday. “Child marriages usually take place during night or early morning. If we go to the spot on the basis of information, parents would have conducted the marriage without leaving any clue. With no person coming forward to give statement, it will be not possible to file a complaint”, she bemoaned.

Kavitha said, during lockdown, 26 child marriages have taken place in Periyapatna taluk and the local cops did not help us to stop it. The people’s co-operation was required to stop this social evil. The Police force the aggrieved girls to tell lies that they weren’t married, she added.