# Maharashtra child marriage crisis: childhood sold, silenced, stolen > In Maharashtra, child marriage persists as families face poverty, migration, and safety fears. - Title: Maharashtra child marriage crisis: childhood sold, silenced… - Summary: In Maharashtra, child marriage persists as families face poverty, migration, and safety fears. In Maharashtra, child marriage continues due to poverty… - Keywords: maharashtra, child marriage, marathwada, child rights, beed district, child marriage prevention, child marriage rates, child marriage laws, news, politics, child, marriage - Source: The Hindu — https://thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/childhood-sold-silenced-stolen/article71532367.ece - Author: Radheshyam Jadhav - Published: 2026-10-03T14:02:42+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: maharashtra, child marriage, marathwada, child rights, beed district, child marriage prevention, child marriage rates, child marriage laws, news, politics ## Child marriage crisis in Marathwada In Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, child marriage persists as families grapple with fears over girls’ safety and so-called honour. > Child marriage is not simply a consequence of tradition. Families say fears over girls’ safety, so-called family honour, migration, and economic insecurity leave them with few choices. ## Kirti’s nightmare Most nights, Kirti, in her teens, is jolted awake by nightmares of a marriage ceremony she never chose. > the raucous twang of a banjo band rattling out popular Hindi-film songs, garlands swaying chaotically, and a stranger, nearly twice her age, waiting at the other end of the mandap ## Suman’s past Suman says her own mother was married at 13 and hated it. > But then there was no other option, and I was married at the same age. Mulgishyanizali ki gharatthevta yet nahi [Once a daughter attains puberty, she cannot be kept in the house] ## Suman’s work Both Suman and Achyut work as daily-wage labourers, even though they own a 1.5-acre patch of dry land. > They migrate to western Maharashtra and other States like Karnataka and Telangana to work as sugarcane cutters during the six-month crushing season, October-November onwards. ## Suman’s daughters Suman got all her daughters married before they turned 16. > They have all returned to her with their children following marital disputes. ## Chaya’s situation Kirti’s mother, Chaya, has been living with her parents for a few months. > Every few months, her husband leaves her and she returns to her maternal home. ## Suman’s safety concerns Suman refuses to say why he leaves or why the couple fights. > She is worried he will not come back if he comes to know about the matter being discussed publicly. ## Achyut’s honour For Achyut, the family’s respect in society rests upon a singular, unyielding pillar, ijjat (honour) that is inextricably bound to a girl’s character. > The girl’s character is measured solely by the preservation of her virginity. ## Child marriage laws Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, marriages involving females under 18 or males under 21 are classified as child marriages. > Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, sexual acts with a wife under 18 constitute rape. ## Predators and exploitation Tatwashil Kamble, a child rights activist, highlights that predators backed by political influence frequently target vulnerable minors. > In Aher Dhanora village, some four kilometres away from Beed, a local youth lured a 15-year-old girl away from home and raped her. ## Missing girls According to police records, in 2025, approximately 266 minor girls went missing from Beed, out of which 214 were rescued. > The police say many of these girls had fallen in love with local youth online. ## Asha Ugade’s story Asha Ugade, a sugarcane cutter, married her four sisters when she was in her early teens. > I started cutting sugarcane the year I was married. ## Child marriage prevention Maharashtra has the highest number of child marriage prevention officers at 21,196, as per government data. > The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign by the Government of India aims to reduce the prevalence of child marriage by 10% by 2026 and make India child-marriage-free by 2030. ## Rupali’s story Rupali, 15, was married forcibly to a 22-year-old man in Pune and later moved to a hostel. > In February this year, she appeared for her Class 10 exam. ## Yogita’s struggle Yogita, one of Suman’s four daughters, wants all girls to finish school but faces financial constraints. > I have contacted social activists in Beed to help me complete my Class X examination. ## The cycle continues The cycle of child marriage persists despite legal protections and government efforts. > Girls are being treated as a commodity in the marriage market. ## Key takeaway In Maharashtra, child marriage continues due to poverty, migration, and safety concerns, with girls often forced into early marriages despite legal protections.