K Govindaraju, Women and Child Development Minister Halappa Achar informed that Karnataka recorded the highest number of child marriages in the country. According to Achar 296 child marriages were reported in the state in 2020-21.
In Karnataka, Hassan had the most cases with 39 child marriages in the state, followed by Mandya (34), Mysuru (31), and Ramanagara (31). According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Karnataka reported the highest number of cases in 2020, with 184 cases. The minister said poverty, illiteracy, superstition, a lack of knowledge about child marriage laws, a lack of interest in educating girl children, and traditional wishes of elders are the reasons for child marriage.
To prevent child marriages in the state, the department has launched 'Video on Wheels,' a mobile van campaign in collaboration with the information and broadcasting department. Narasimha G Rao, a child rights activist, said that during the lockdown period in the state, most child marriages took place at home secretly, "All of these children need to be tracked down and their experiences documented. They may also be subjected to sexual abuse and dowry harassment. Parents and children must be counseled and brought back into the fold of education," he stated.