MADURAI: Madurai city police arrested an 18-year-old youth from Thiruppalai on charges of marrying and raping a Class X student studying at a school in the city.
According to the police, the victim, a 16-year-old girl, was studying in Class X and had been in a relationship with the accused for more than a year. The accused and the victim eloped and got married at a temple in Manapparai on August 15. The two then started staying together at a rented house in Madurai city.
Based on the complaint filed by B Pandiaraja, member, Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the all-women police station, Tallakulam registered a case and arrested the accused.
Sources said that the incident came to light during an investigation on the missing of another Class X girl student from the same school. She was found to have eloped and got married illegally with another boy who was above 18 years.
Both the youths involved in the cases have been arrested and cases have been registered against them under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
If anyone in Madurai comes across any instances or information of child marriage, contact the Madurai district CWC members Dr V M Vijaya Saravanan – 9786615915, B Pandiaraja – 8608196393, M R Shanthi – 9442843937, L Shanmugam – 9842162762.
