Patna, July 12: Mantoosh, 13, married Parwati, 12, yesterday. Blessed by their families and witnessed by police officials who ought to have clamped down on a marriage of children that is banned by law.

Welcome to Bihar, where the government has often made tall claims about a decrease in infant mortality and child marriages. But, cocking a snook at the claims and puncturing the boasts, child marriage continues unabated even in the state capital, that too under the nose of the police.

According to local residents, on Monday, the two children got married in a temple barely 20 metres away from the Bypass police station, with their families in attendance. Some police officials even saw the marriage taking place, but did not act, the residents said.

The police though now say the marriage took place in a different temple which is about a kilometre away from the police station.

The indifference shown by the police has raised the question that if the government cannot enforce the law in Patna, where else can one expect restrictions to this age-old practice to be imposed.

The police officials say they had no clue about the marriage though their bosses are talking about a thorough investigation about the circumstances which led to the men in uniform not reacting to the situation.

Son of Om Bind, who lives in a slum next to the Bypass police station, Mantoosh is illiterate and helps his father sell vegetables.

The girl, daughter of Shrawan Bind, who also sells vegetables, stays near the Mahavir Jalla Temple of Begumpur, located about 500 metres from the Bypass police station.

Sources said the marriage ceremony took place in front of the temple located right next to the police station amid pomp and show.

“There was a marriage ceremony happening and some policemen were onlookers. Since the police station is located very close to the temple, there is police presence all the time. The cops were moving around the place,” local residents said.

The police sounded defensive.

Ascam Paswan, a sub-inspector at the police station, said they knew of a marriage ceremony in the locality. “Some ceremonies were going on and the police saw that happening. But the police didn’t check it out,” he said.

Deputy superintendent of police (Patna City) Sushil Kumar, after inquiring into the matter, said the marriage ceremony took place at the Mahavir Temple, located more than half-a-kilometre away from the Bypass police station.

“Yesterday the police were busy making security arrangements regarding the visit of the Vice-President. The matter has been inquired into and the officials at the police station said the ceremony didn’t take place at the temple located near the police station but in another temple located almost a kilometre away from the Bypass station. The matter will be looked into though,” Kumar said.

Though none of the families had any documents which could prove the age of the couple, the “groom”, when quizzed, said he was 13 years old.

“It is an arranged marriage and so I got married. I don’t have any idea about age and other things. Why should someone stop me from getting married,” the boy said in the local dialect.

The families of both of the bride and the groom were not ready to speak even after several attempts.

Child marriage is prohibited in the country under the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, popularly known as the Sharda Act.

The minimum age of marriage for a boy is 21 years and for a female, it is 18.

According to the Act, in case of child marriage, the parents or guardians concerned may be punished with simple imprisonment which may extend to three months and a fine. Those who solemnize the wedding also face the same punishment.