HYDERABAD: Amid the COVID-19 induced lockdown, child marriages in the city seem to be on the rise. In the past three months, at least five child marriages were stopped by the city police.

According to a report by TOI, child rights activists in the city have expressed concern over the issue and officials are of the view that several cases are going unreported given the prevailing conditions.

In the Cyberabad police limits, SHE team stopped two child marriages, in both the cases, the girls were 16 years old. Officials verified their education certificates and took action. The child development protection officer counselled the parents of the victims in the presence of village sarpanches. Police said they also took an undertaking from their fathers to not get the daughters married before they turn 18 years.

Officials said that the lockdown has hit the underprivileged families hard. They say that many girls are married off after they pass Class 10 exams, and in most cases the school authorities or teachers inform the police. But, with the pandemic and schools being shut, girls are becoming victims of child marriage, many cases being unreported.