Hyderabad: Mr Alok Rawat, member of National Women’s Commission on Tuesday directed the state government to closely monitor the activities of Qazis in Hyderabad to curb incidences of minors being married to aged men from the Gulf countries.

To get first-hand information of the modus operandi adopted by the qazis, TS Women’s Commission chairperson Tripurana Venkataratnam visited old city along with the NCW members and spoke to 30 victims. They will submit a report immediately to TS and National Women’s Commissions.

During their visit to the Old City, the Commission also found that some parents were marrying off their daughters to the aged sheiks, but were also sending them for employment abroad through mediators.

Centre has also constituted a committee to curb such marriage. Such child marriages are not confined to the Muslim community alone; there are reports of similar incidences in other communities as well, the commission stated. There is a need for increasing awareness against child marriages, the delegation said, adding that awareness programmes will be launched with the help of NGOs.