Family
A child is at risk — child marriage, abandoned child, beating at school, child begging, or a child in a police case
If a child is in danger right now, call 1098 or 112. A child marriage can be stopped before it happens, and every district has a Child Welfare Committee that must act for a child who needs care.
Answer a few questions and get your list →What the law says
Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 a girl must be 18 and a boy 21. A Judicial Magistrate can issue an injunction to stop a child marriage on a complaint from anyone (s.13), and a marriage held in breach of it is void (s.14). An adult man who marries a child, and anyone who performs, promotes or permits it, faces up to 2 years and a fine up to ₹1 lakh (ss.9–11). A child married off can have the marriage annulled within 2 years of becoming an adult (s.3). Each district has a Child Marriage Prohibition Officer (s.16). Under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 anyone who finds an abandoned child must report to the police, Childline 1098 or the Child Welfare Committee within 24 hours (s.32); cruelty to a child by a person in charge is punishable with up to 3 years (s.75), and using a child for begging with up to 5 years (s.76). A child accused of an offence goes to the Juvenile Justice Board, not to a regular court, and must not be kept in a police lock-up or jail. Physical punishment and mental harassment in school are banned (RTE Act s.17).
General information, not legal advice.
Papers that usually help
- Proof of the child’s age — birth certificate, school leaving certificate or Aadhaar
Age decides every right and offence here. - A short dated note: what happened, where, who is involved and who saw it
Officials and the Committee act on clear facts. - The 1098 / 112 call time, complaint or diary number, and the officer’s name
Lets you follow up and escalate. - Wedding card, photos, messages or names of the families, priest or hall
Needed for a Magistrate’s injunction or police action. - Doctor’s note and photos of injuries
Proves cruelty or corporal punishment. - Written complaint to the principal and school management committee, with receipt
RTE s.17 bans physical punishment; the complaint starts action. - Written report to the Child Welfare Committee or District Child Protection Unit
The Committee can order care, shelter and protection for the child. - The child’s age proof and the police memo, given to the Juvenile Justice Board
The child must go before the Board, not a regular court, and must not be held in a lock-up.
Questions Saboot will ask you
- What is happening to the child?
- How soon is it?
- How are you connected to the child?
- Has anyone reported it yet?
Sources
- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (sections 3, 9–11, 13, 14, 16)
- Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
- Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 — section 17
- NALSA — free legal aid
Common situations
- A child is about to be married
- My daughter’s marriage is being fixed before she turns 18
- I was married as a child and want to get out of it
- I am under 18 and my family is forcing me to marry
- I found an abandoned baby or child
- A child has no one to look after them after the parents died
- A teacher beat or humiliated my child
- My child was beaten or harassed at a hostel or madrasa
- A child near me is being beaten or starved at home
- Children are made to beg at a signal or station
- My son (under 18) has been picked up by the police
- Police are treating my underage son as an adult
Also searched as: child marriage, bal vivah, daughter wedding, year old daughter wedding, underage wedding, minor wedding, wedding of minor, underage marriage, minor marriage, girl married before 18, marriage of minor girl, stop child marriage