Chennai: A shocking case of child marriage has emerged in Krishnagiri after a 14-year-old schoolgirl attended class wearing a thali (mangalsutra). The incident led the police to file a case against five individuals under child marriage laws.

The girl, a student of a government school in Krishnagiri, arrived at school on Monday, prompting teachers to notice the symbolic necklace. Suspicious, they immediately alerted the Social Welfare Department. Investigations revealed that the girl had been married in the early hours of Monday and had attended school right after the ceremony.

The groom, a 25-year-old man from Kaveripattinam, had married the underage girl in a temple in Boluppalli. The police have registered a case at the Krishnagiri Women’s Police Station against the groom and the parents of both the bride and groom.

Interestingly, the girl had told her classmates last week that she was going shopping for new clothes for an upcoming festival. However, when she returned to school wearing a thali along with her uniform, her friends grew curious. Upon questioning, she revealed that she had been married in a temple ceremony.

In response to the incident, Social Welfare officials have decided to conduct awareness campaigns in Krishnagiri to combat child marriages.