32 Child Marriages Prevented on Akshaya Tritiya: Minister Aditi Tatkare

Mumbai, April 2026 : Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare on Tuesday said that the state successfully prevented as many as 32 child marriages in a single day through a statewide crackdown conducted by a ‘Special Force’ on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

Highlighting the government’s strong stance against child marriage, the minister said Maharashtra is emerging as a leading state in the country under the “Child Marriage Free India” campaign. Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, marriage of a girl below 18 years and a boy below 21 years is a punishable offence.

Despite legal restrictions, the practice of child marriage still persists in certain regions, especially during auspicious occasions like Akshaya Tritiya. In response, the state government intensified its efforts under a 100-day campaign aimed at eliminating child marriage through awareness drives, coordination, and preventive action.

Tatkare stated that the Special Force carried out proactive interventions across districts, ensuring timely action to stop such incidents. The 32 prevented cases were reported from various regions, including Konkan (Raigad – 2 cases), Pune division (Palghar – 1), Nashik division (Sangli – 1, Nashik – 2, Ahilyanagar – 5), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division (Parbhani – 1, Latur – 1, Beed – 3, Hingoli – 1, Dharashiv – 2, Sambhajinagar – 4, Buldhana – 1), Amravati division (Akola – 4), and Nagpur division (Yavatmal – 2, Chandrapur – 2).

She emphasised that child marriage is not just a legal violation but also a serious infringement of children’s fundamental rights. Along with preventing such marriages, the department is also focusing on rehabilitation, education, and protection of the affected girls. Strict action is being taken against parents and intermediaries involved in arranging such marriages, and the government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that such incidents do not recur.

As part of the campaign, efforts included continuous follow-up with families, case management, and linking affected children to services such as education, skill development, counselling, and nutrition support.

In addition, a state-level workshop was organised jointly by the department and UNICEF to strengthen the implementation of the campaign. The workshop saw participation from district collectors, subject experts, district women and child development officers, district child protection officers, and Child हेल्पलाइन representatives from across the state.

Officials said that such coordinated efforts are crucial to building awareness and strengthening enforcement mechanisms to eradicate child marriage. The government has reaffirmed that strict vigilance and prompt intervention will continue in the future to safeguard children’s rights and ensure their well-being.