In June 2025, Monija Khatun, an 11th-grade student at Gajdharpara High School, called helpline 1098 to report a planned marriage of her 14-year-old classmate to an adult man. Police intervened and stopped the wedding. Monija helped prevent six child marriages that year, including two of her classmates. "They were minors, but wanted to run away from home and get married. After the intervention of the authorities, their marriage was stopped. They still come to school but do not talk to me," she said. Monija was honored as a ‘Kanyashree Yodhya’ by the Murshidabad District administration for her work. Murshidabad, one of West Bengal’s poorest districts, faces a high rate of child marriages. The National Family Health Survey-5 shows 55.4% of women aged 20-24 were married before 18 in Murshidabad, one of the highest in India. West Bengal as a whole recorded 42%. Out of 254 gram panchayats, seven have been declared child-marriage-free after no cases were reported for six months. Local schools hold gender workshops to challenge traditional roles. During one session, students wrote stereotypes like "Boys ride a bike, girls do not." A social worker asked boys if they want their wives to work; one replied, "No, I do not want my wife to work. If she has money, then she will give me attitude." Mousumi Khatun, another student and Kanyashree Yodha, shared her experience fighting a forced marriage at age 17. "I told them I'd go to the police if they forced me." Panchayat leaders like Chameli Bibi work with schools, religious leaders, and communities to stop child marriage. Announcements are made from mosques after Friday prayers to warn against it. Some imams performing child marriages have been booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Child marriage leads to teen pregnancies, a major problem. In Murshidabad, teen pregnancy rates dropped from 21% in 2024-25 to 17% in targeted blocks after campaigns. Between June and December 2025, authorities prevented 1,081 child marriages in the district. District officials say more cases of elopements are rising, needing better school counseling. The Additional District Magistrate states, "We have done enough awareness and sensitising. People are aware. The only way is action." Despite legal efforts, reporting is complex because prosecuting fathers under POCSO law deters FIR registration. Focus in West Bengal is shifting from punishment to community prevention and shared responsibility. Girls and women lead the fight. Four of five child-marriage-free gram panchayats in Berhampur are run by women. Anganwadi workers educate mothers about risks of early pregnancy. Students like Nupur Biswas, who runs a Kanyashree club, keep hope alive. India aims to end child marriage by 2030 under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.