Vijayawada: Leading in child marriages case among the South Indian states, Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh had a record number of child marriages in the state with 46.6 per cent, a research by Mahita, an independent body working under the ‘Plan India Movement’ found out. The study was revealed at a state-level meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

The others districts that follow are: Kurnool (44.5 per cent), Krishna (35.9 per cent), Visakhapatnam (35.5 per cent) and Anantapur (26.8 per cent).

Mahita Director Ramesh Shekhar Reddy said that the state of Andhra pradesh leads in the social menace of child marriage among all South Indian states and one of the reason behind that is tradition and societal norms.

He added that although Krishna district was third, it came as a surprise as the state is well developed compared to other districts in the list.

On the statistics, the study found out that 33 per cent girls and 11 per cent minor boys were married in their childhood. In the age group of 20-29 years, 35.7 per cent of women and 18.9 per cent of men, were married before the age of 18.

About 13 per cent of women between 15-18 years were either already mothers or were pregnant, the study found out.

The Commission has assured help to Mahita to eradicate the social menace.

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