NEW DELHI: Taking a courageous step towards a brighter future, a teenage tribal girl fled from home and sought the district administration's help to escape a marriage fixed against her wishes, expressing her desire instead to continue her studies. As repeated attempts of 16-year-old Kausalya Kurvadi to convince her parents not to marry her failed, she fled from her house and approached Koraput SP Awinash Kumar and sought the administration's help. "I want to join college to continue my studies. But my parents are forcing me to get married. I don't want to marry. After I complete 18 years of age, I may think of marriage," said Kausalya after meeting the SP at Koraput on Tuesday. A resident of Gandhi Sikarput village under Padwa police limits in the district, Kausalya said she passed this year's High School Certificate examination and desires to continue her studies. But her parents have arranged her marriage at Sarani village under Marsiput police limit in Andhra Pradesh with an illiterate boy and the marriage date was fixed for May 29. "I told my family several times that I don't want to marry and wish to continue my studies, but they paid no heed to my pleas. So I fled from home and boarded a train at Thuba railway station for Koraput. I have sought the administration's help to stop my marriage and to make my parents understand that I want to study," she said. Police said the girl has been accommodated at a short stay home for the time being and that an inquiry has been initiated. "It is illegal to get a girl married who has not attained the age of 18 and that too against her consent. Officials at Padwa police station have been asked to conduct an inquiry," the SP said. BN
