The Lok Sabha Thursday condemned the bizarre incident in which a woman welfare activist's hands were chopped off in Madhya Pradesh for trying to prevent child marriages.

MPs asked the government to take immediate steps to protect activists fighting against social evils across the country.

"This is a serious matter. It should be condemned. This is an attack on a woman who tried to stop a social evil," said Ramjilal Suman of the Samajwadi Party.

Reports said a man Wednesday attacked the 48-year-old woman, who worked with the child welfare department, with a sword outside her house in Bhangarh village of Madhya Pradesh after she warned villagers they would face action if they allowed child marriages.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said: "We all should condemn this attack on a woman. Women should be respected in the society."

"Large-scale child marriages have been solemnized in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Wednesday as it was considered an auspicious day for child marriages," Suman said.

He condemned Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babulal Gaur's statement that no serious action would be taken against offenders in child marriage cases.

"If the chief minister does not do it, who will do it?" Suman asked, noting that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had asked states to take precautionary steps to stop child marriages.

Ingrid Mcleod, an Anglo-Indian MP in the Lok Sabha, demanded special security for welfare workers. "Strict action should be taken against the culprits," she said.

Under Indian law, the legal age of marriage is 18 for women and 21 for men.