The Telangana Police on Wednesday booked a 21-year-old man who allegedly abducted and forcibly married a minor girl, besides inducing her for sexual intercourse, the police said.
The police also booked the parents of both the bride and the groom, and a local political leader who allegedly brokered a compromise between them.
According to inspector M Praveen Reddy, the police received a complaint from A Hymavathi, supervisor of Integrated Child Development Society (ICDS) of Medchal block, on Wednesday night about a child marriage that took place at Kandlakoya village on June 1.
In her complaint, Hymavathi disclosed that one Shivarathri Srinu (21) had married the minor girl - who was 16 - in the presence of his parents Srinu and Mallamma and that of the girl’s, besides a local political leader Prabhakar and others.
“On inquiry, it was revealed that both the bride and the groom were known to each other for the last three years. On February 26, Srinu eloped with the girl and married her at a temple. Since then, she had staying with him at his village Gundlapochampally, where he forced her to participate in sex thrice,” the police inspector said.
On coming to know about their marriage, the girl’s parents came to Gundlapochampally and took her back to their home stating that they would perform a formal marriage in the presence of relatives.
{{/usCountry}}On coming to know about their marriage, the girl’s parents came to Gundlapochampally and took her back to their home stating that they would perform a formal marriage in the presence of relatives.
{{/usCountry}}On June 1, parents of both the sides accepted their relationship and performed their marriage at Mutyalamma temple of Kandlakoya village in the presence of elders. They also formally arranged nuptials for the couple to consummate the marriage, the police inspector said.
The Medchal police registered a case under Section 376 (sexual assault), 376A (sex with wife without consent) and 366 (abduction of a woman and forced sex) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), besides under Protection of Child from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Sec 9, 11 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, and SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“We are yet to make the arrests as we need to appoint an investigating office because the girl happens to be a Dalit. We have sent he to Sakhi Centre maintained by Women and Child Welfare Department,” the inspector said.