Vijayapur Deputy Commissioner T Bhoobalan has directed officials of the School Education Department to closely monitor high school students, especially girls, who remain absent for more than a week, in a bid to prevent incidents of child marriage.

He instructed the department’s Deputy Director to personally visit such schools and gather comprehensive information on the absentee students, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

Chairing the district-level coordination committee meeting on Tuesday, June 3, he said that if any case of child marriage is suspected, immediate and firm action must be taken, FIRs be registered not only against the parents and guardians, but also against anyone encouraging or facilitating such acts.

He called for the formation of dedicated committees in high schools and pre-university colleges to create awareness and prevent child marriages. He also stressed the importance of organising awareness programmes on the Child Marriage Prohibition Act and the POCSO Act, in collaboration with ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers, to educate students, parents, and the general public.

Bhoobalan urged the officials to promote the child helpline number 1098 extensively and to recognise and felicitate gram panchayats that are declared child marriage-free.

He directed that all departments work in coordination to ensure that women in distress receive comprehensive support at the Sakhi One Stop Centre, located on the premises of the District Government Hospital.

Services such as healthcare, legal aid, police assistance, temporary shelter, and counselling should be readily accessible to the aggrieved women, according to the report by The New Indian Express.

Currently, six consolation centres are operational in the district to support women affected by domestic violence. These centres offer counselling, legal awareness, and assistance aimed at rebuilding confidence and reuniting women with their families, he said.