As many as 33 child marriages were reported in Madurai district from March 25 to August-end, during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown. Data obtained from the district administration. shows 30 child marriages were stopped by the officials and the first information report was filed in the remaining three cases.
Collector T.G.Vinay says officials from the Social Welfare Department, Childline, District Child Protection Office and the police department worked in tandem to stop the child marriages. Out of the 13 blocks in Madurai district, the highest number of child marriages were reported in Usilampatti. There were no child marriage cases reported in Chellampatti, Tirumangalam and T. Kallupatti during that period.
“There was no significant increase in child marriages reported in the district during the lockdown period, when compared to pre-COVID-19 times,” says Mr. Vinay….