Kolkata, Dec 7 (IANS) The police have foiled a parents’ bid to get their minor girl married off in Balurghat in West Bengal’s South Dinajpur district, said officials here on Sunday.

According to police, the incident took place on Saturday when the parents tried to pass off their elder daughter as the bride when, in reality, they wanted to get their younger daughter, a minor, married off.

A senior officer of South Dinajpur district police said that such an attempt to get their minor daughter married off is unheard of in the town. After receiving the news that a family was trying to get their minor daughter married, the police initially conducted a raid but returned without finding any evidence. At that time, the girl, who was shown as the bride, was an adult, the eldest daughter of the house.

“However, after conducting a second search, the officers realised that the family had tried to deceive by presenting the elder daughter as a bride after dressing her accordingly. The parents of the minor girl were caught red-handed. The 17-year-old minor, who is studying in Class 11, was rescued,” said the police officer today.

According to police, the incident took place in ward number 25 of Balurghat Municipality. The marriage of a 17-year-old minor girl was fixed with a young man from the area. She is studying in Class 11 at a local school. After receiving the news of such an illegal marriage, the District Legal Services Authority, local police and people from voluntary organisations went to the house.

However, the family members brought the eldest daughter as a bride, following which the team returned. However, the police again received information that it was not a middle-aged woman, but a minor girl who was being married off.

“Then another raid was conducted at that house at night. This time, the minor girl’s marriage was stopped after the parents were caught red-handed. The girl was rescued from there and sent to a home in Malda district. The family was warned,” said the police officers.

–IANS

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