Tiruvannamalai: An overlooked government pamphlet and a timely call to the collector’s office have come to redefine the life of N Nandhini who took on her family, standing her ground against child marriage.
Determined to pursue her dream of becoming an IAS official, Nandhini, 14, from Vadakkumedu village in Arni Taluk, tipped off officials in the district administration on the eve of her marriage. The call she made at 6 pm on July 16 not only stopped an illegal wedding, it also brought her state acclaim. On Wednesday, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami honoured Nandhini with the state’s award for girl child empowerment.
After the demise of her mother Alamelu four years ago, Nandhini’s father Nagaraj abandoned her and her elder sister. Alamelu’s elder sister Kuppu took care of the two girls and raised them. But two years ago, she married off Nandhini’s elder sister, then 16. When Nandhini turned 14, Kuppu arranged her marriage with Ezhiarasan, a man from Arcot and twice her age.
“My aunt stopped me from going to school before the final exam of the third mid-term was over,” said Nandhini. “I begged her to call off the marriage, but she ignored my pleas,” she said.
Nandhini’s elder sister and cousin objected to the marriage, but in vain. “My aunt wanted to get rid of me,” said Nandhini.
With hopes all but lost, Nandhini tried going through her books when she came across a pamphlet. “I remember that it was distributed during an awareness programme on child marriage at the school in 2016. The officials told us to call the numbers if we came across any instance of child marriage,” said the girl who was under the care of Child Protection Office.
“I was desperately looking for an opportunity to make a call. One day my aunt went out leaving her phone in the house. I contacted the collector’s mobile number provided in the pamphlet.. But before I could give any information, my aunt returned. I managed to make the second call within a short while,” she said.
Nearly three hours after she had made the call, a team of officials reached the village. But by then, the groom’s family had taken her to a house on a farmland near the temple. They also turned off the lights in the temple and surrounding areas, leaving no sign of marriage arrangement, said Nandhini. “I was asked to remove all jewels and remove the make-up. My aunt cautioned me not to tell the officials about the marriage,” said Nandhini, studying in Class X in Tiruvannamalai now.
But she had other plans. Around 10.30pm that day, officials rescued Nandhini. The police registered a case against Kuppu, her husband Arumugam, Ezhilarasan and his parents under provisions of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and remanded them.
(Source: Times of India)