Cops plan survey to help Kerala’s unmarried men

KANNUR: It is said marriages are made in heaven. When it comes to politically-turbulent villages in Kannur, the marriage of young men, most without educational or professional qualifications, is a big problem even if they are not involved in criminal activities. Now, Panoor police has decided to survey young unmarried men in 9,000 households within its limits to identify the root cause and find a solution.
Ultimately the aim is to reduce crime rate and law and order issues apart from changing the mindset of the youths and divert it in a productive manner, said police. When they have a self respect it is likely to detach them from criminal involvements.
“In many places like Panoor, it is tough for youth without education or employment to get brides, and this naturally leads to depression. Girls, who are better educated, want educated youths with regular employment as life partners,” said inspector VV Benny, who is working out finer details of the survey. Though the plan was to conduct a survey with National Service Scheme volunteers in summer, it might be preponed.
Around 15% youths have taken up higher studies after Plus Two and even if uneducated ones earn money, girls are not keen on an alliance. Some men even sought alliances from Coorg, but many remain unmarried, said Benny, adding that instilling a sense of self-assurance is part of the survey.
Until a few years ago, it was difficult for girls from party villages to get grooms from other places. But things have changed thanks to various interventions. Incidentally, police at Panoor and Kolavallor had last year launched a PSC coaching programme for youths and it received a good response with girls outnumbering boys, he said.
The issue of youths drifting towards crimes has multiple reasons like handicaps in educational system, high rate of unemployment, youth neglecting education to become earners, lure of easy money, politics providing an easy ladder to power and easy money, said former professor at Kannur University Vineetha Menon, who has studied socio-cultural anthropology.
“Young women prefer higher educational qualifications to early marriage as they know education and financial empowerment are the best means of their autonomy,” she said, adding that a husband’s low educational qualification is likely to cause disharmony in a marriage.
Marriage across political parties is more of a taboo in areas where political communities guard their territorial lines carefully to prevent ‘infiltration’ in their midst, she said.
Analyst T Sasidharan who studied political violence in Kannur, said young women frown upon people involved in political activism without academic pursuit. “Such initiatives by police will help identify the root cause of politics, especially violence, coming on way of matrimony,” he said.
Police are hopeful that such initiatives will help bring down the crime rate. Last year, the involvement of youths in criminal activities came down drastically , said Benny.