Bride and prejudice: Aadhaar fudged to mask child marriages in Krishnagiri

The source said, “When the girl and her husband were questioned about the discrepancy in age, they confessed that the man had changed the Aadhaar card date of birth with a six-year difference to the original date of birth at a browsing centre in Denkanikottai for Rs 200 a few months ago in order to evade arrest. Also, the girl was referred to Hosur government hospital in the last week of May, wherein the Accident Register (AR) was recorded and the issue was communicated to Denkanikottai All Women’s Police Station.”
Another source said, “Many fake Aadhaar cards after tampering with the details were created at computer centres and photo studios for `500 per card, and in some cases the health department staff were complicit in the illegal activity.”
Sources further pointed out that two browsing centres and a photo studio at Rayakottai and Denkanikottai were involved. Kelamangalam Block Medical Officer, Dr C Rajesh Kumar, told TNIE, “A team will check the browsing centre and photo studios. Village health nurses (VHN) have already been warned about the issue and not to support child marriage cases.
Although VHNs have been made aware of the issue, still a few cases about fake Aadhaar cards have been reported to us. A few months ago, a health staff was terminated in Bettamugilalam panchayat for supporting the fraudulent activity.”
Krishnagiri District Health Officer, Dr G Ramesh Kumar, told TNIE, “All health department staff across the district will be sensitised to the issue to refrain from supporting such fraudulent activities.
As many as 545 teenage pregnancies were reported in the district from April 2024 to March 2025. More cases were reported in Shoolagiri (81), Krishnagiri rural (72) and Kelamangalam (66).”
Collector C Dinesh said he has received details about one case and a team will be constituted to take action against those involved in it.
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