A 14-year-old girl in Tripura’s Sepahijala district was reportedly thrown out of her home by her parents after she refused to marry a 32-year-old man, sparking concerns about the prevalence of child marriage in the region. The young girl, who is said to be traumatised and unwell, has been hospitalized at Bishalgarh hospital.
The Chairperson of the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TCPCR), Jayanti Debbarma, has stepped in to address the situation. According to Debbarma, the girl and her 10-year-old sister were also subjected to abuse before being forced to leave their home.
Debbarma personally visited the Uttar Brajapur HS School and later met with the victim at the hospital. The girl shared her harrowing experience of being ousted from her home for refusing the marriage proposal. This incident sheds light on the disturbing trend of child marriage in Sepahijala district, with 103 cases reported between April and June 2025.
An investigation is currently underway, and if the parents are found guilty, legal action will be taken. Debbarma has also mentioned the possibility of relocating the girls to a government-run home or hostel for their safety.
District Child Protection Officer Sonai Saha has indicated that the parents will face charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. Plans are already in place to send the older girl to a boarding school in Sonamura once she has recovered.
Despite efforts to reach the parents for comment, they could not be reached. This incident underscores the urgent need to address child marriage and strengthen enforcement of child protection laws in Tripura.
