Patna: Police in Aurangabad in south-central Bihar prevented three minor girls from getting married in violation of The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

After a tip off, a joint police team of NTPC Khaira police station and Mali police station in Aurangabad reached Belauti village on Thursday night and stopped the wedding of two sisters - both under 18 years of age.

Initially, Khaira block development officer (BDO) Panna Lal, who accompanied the police team, tried to convince the relatives of the bride, a resident of Nagnali village in Uttar Pradesh, to stop the marriage. But the relatives did not budge. The relatives and friends were adamant on the wedding despite the bride being a minor.

When the family did not agree to call off the wedding, the station house officer of NTPC Khaira police station, Ranjeet Kumar, and his Mali police station counterpart, Anand Kumar, took five relatives of the bride and the priest into custody.

Ranjeet said an FIR has been lodged on block development officer Panna Lal's statement in this connection.

Those arrested are Devendra Singh (the groom), his father Ghanshyam Singh, cousin Rakesh Kumar, brother in-law Naresh Singh, and bride's father Upendra Kumar. Priest Lallu Dubey, a resident of Haricharanpur village in Aurangabad, was also taken into custody.

The Lakhisarai police have initiated legal action against the family members of the bride and the groom.

The team also found out that a 16-year-old minor girl was being married off in the same village. The bride's father Raj Kishore Ram, however, agreed to call off the wedding after persuasion of the police and administrative officials.

According to sources, the BDO told the relatives of the three brides that child marriage was a cognisable offence. He apprised the family members of the state government scheme - Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah Yojna - under which Rs 5,000 is given to the bride's family for marriage after she attains 18 years of age.

SHO Ranjeet said action would be taken against the people found violating The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. All the six accused were produced before Aurangabad court, which remanded them in 14-day judicial custody at the Aurangabad district jail.