Last month, when the whole state was widely debating the marriage of underage Muslim girls following a controversial government circular, a 10-year-old girl of a tribal colony here was married off to a 24-year-old youth.
Sindhu (name changed), a class III student and member of Kattupaniya tribe, of Vettilakolli colony at Kakkadampoyil, bordering Kozhikode-Malappuram districts, was forced to enter into wedlock with Biju of an adjacent tribal settlement.
More seriously, she has been denied her right to continue schooling as well. The little homemaker, who was very active in her studies, now appears frightened, disappointed and confused. She was staying at Manimooli Tribal Hostel, Nilambur.
A visit to the tribal settlements has revealed that so far four child marriages were reported from Vettilakolli, three from Palakkayam and two from Ambumala tribal colonies within a year. Traditionally known as ‘Chaakkittu Kidathal’, the bride and groom after the marriage proceed to a dense forest with a sack.
This practice creates severe health issues as it accelerates the incidents of infant deaths due to malnutrition, said Health Inspector of the colonies Suresh K Kammath. The total population of Kattupaniya tribe in both these colonies is only 150.
