Kolkata, India - The Catholic Church in an eastern Indian state is excommunicating Christians under its fold who are found to be forcing minors into marriage, senior diocese officials said on Wednesday.
"We will not baptise children of guilty people and will prevent families from attending church functions," Bishop Joseph Gomes told Reuters in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state.
Women have to be 18 and men 21 to legally wed in India but child marriage is common in villages where deep-seated tradition has proved hard to change and law enforcement is poor.
At least 65 percent of girls are married before 18 in India, government data shows, and activists say at least 150 cases of child marriage are reported every day.
Children as young as six have been married off.
Now Gomes and other priests in a populous diocese in the south of the state are fighting back, and say they will impose a fine of 3,000 rupees (35 pounds) on people flouting the law.
At least a dozen families have already been banned from receiving the sacrament for three years for supporting child marriage in Nadia district, which neighbours Kolkata.
"Churches have been unable to persuade everyone to leave age-old Hindu customs like child marriage," Herod Mullick of the United Forum of Christians of All Denominations said.
The diocese, which runs dozens of churches, has a strong influence among the state's one million Christians, a sizeable minority of West Bengal's 80 million people.
"The disciplinary action is part of our reforms programme and we want to ensure that everyone follows the laws of the country," Joseph Biswas, a Catholic priest, said.
In December, India tightened its laws against child marriage, allowing courts to jail and fine priests, police officers and local leaders who permit the practice.
But Bishop Gomes said there would always be a way back to the church for those who admitted their error.
"Jesus does not reject a person. He may punish, but he forgives if someone is repentant," he said.