Determined to pursue higher studies, a 17-year-old girl escaped from family captivity to evade her parents’ underage marriage plan, ran 2 km in darkness and travelled another 10 km in a bus to reach the office of the block development officer (BDO) in West Midnapore to narrate her plight, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
The BDO soon sent local officials to her home to persuade her parents. The Class XI student was handed over to her family only after her father gave a written declaration promising that he would not arrange her marriage against her will and before she completes her education.
The official speaks
Amit Kumar Ghosh, the BDO of Chandrakona-II block in West Midnapore, said that he had received a call on Friday last week. “On the other end, the girl was whispering. I could not understand what exactly she wanted to say. But I realized she was in trouble. The phone got disconnected. I tried to reach her over the phone, but it didn’t work. It seemed she was not in a position to interact,” Ghosh recounted.
The next day, the girl came to my office. “She broke into tears. She requested me to help her achieve her goal,” said Ghosh. In a statement given to the BDO, the girl said, “I protested when I came to know that I was being married off. My father told me either to accept the marriage plan or leave. I wanted to leave, but they kept me in captivity."
"On Saturday, the groom’s family members visited our house and agreed to the marriage. I, somehow, managed to flee. I boarded a bus to reach the block headquarters, 10 km from there.”
The girl’s father was initially reluctant but later agreed to give a written declaration that he would allow her to study.
Good student and voice against underage marriage
Amit Kumar Ghosh, Block Development Officer of Chandrakona-II in West Midnapore district, said that the girl is a good student and she is a member of her school club, which spreads awareness against the underage marriage of girls in the area.
