The police and the District Women and Child Development department stopped a child marriage in Pune city on Sunday, taking the number of successful preventions in such cases in the district to 43 since January last year.

“We managed to stop 43 child marriages since January 2025. However, in 14 cases, the minor girls were married, which is illegal. In such cases, First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against the persons, including parents or other family members of the bride and groom, for arranging the child marriages. They were booked under sections of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006,” said Mangesh Jadhav, Pune District Child Protection Officer.

On Sunday, Senior Police Inspector Shashikant Chavan of the Khadak police station received information that a 16-year-old girl was being married off in Pune city. The police passed on the information to the Child Helpline number (1098). Thereafter, Rohini Dhawale, District Women and Child Development Officer, and Sudhir Dhakane, Child Development Project Officer, initiated action on this matter.

“We obtained the girl’s age proof, confirming she was a minor,” said Mangesh Jadhav.

Jadhav said people had gathered for the marriage of the minor girl. Monika Jadhav, Supervisor of the Child Helpline, along with social worker Surekha Kamble, reached the spot and counseled the girl’s family and others who came for the marriage.

“They were also warned that if the girl’s marriage proceeded before she completed 18 years of age, legal action would be initiated against them as per Sections 9, 10, and 11 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Family members agreed and stopped the marriage,” said Jadhav.

Earlier this month, an offence was registered against the family members of another 16-year-old Pune girl for allegedly arranging her marriage.

Swati Pathade, Assistant Child Marriage Prevention Officer, had lodged the FIR in this case at the Bibvewadi police station on April 3.

As stated in the FIR, Swati Pathade, along with Monika Jadhav, Surekha Kamble, and Anganwadi sevika Lakshmi Mahale, reached the girl’s house on April 3 for verification.

Inquiry confirmed that the girl’s family married her to a 28-year-old man in December. The girl was also found to be wearing a mangalsutra, the FIR stated.

A case was then lodged against the parents of the girl, the man to whom she was married, and his parents. The case was later transferred to the Solapur police for further investigation.

Ali Akhtar, Pune district coordinator for Child Helpline, said if people have any information about the marriage of minors, they should immediately call 1098 to share the details.