The City Police on Friday arrested a man and two women in connection with the marriage of a 17-year-old girl recently.
According to police sources, the two women Ambika (39) and Valli (38) were allegedly wedding brokers, who arranged the marriage of the victim with one Sasikumar (24) claiming that the girl was 18 years old. The wedding took place in Tiruppur on June 28.
Earlier in the week, the Childline helpline 1098 received a call regarding the marriage, following which the Childline officials in Tiruppur informed the Department of Social Welfare to conduct an inquiry.
Based on a complaint lodged by an official from the Department of Social Welfare, the Tiruppur North All Women Police on Friday registered a case under sections of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act along with sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act as the girl was allegedly sexually assaulted, the sources said. The two wedding brokers and the man were remanded in judicial custody on Friday.
Man arrested
In a separate case, the Tiruppur North All Women Police on Friday arrested a 34-year-old man on charges of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. The two were allegedly in a relationship and had travelled to Karnataka earlier this year, following which the girl’s parents lodged a complaint at the Tiruppur North police station that their daughter was missing, sources said.
The man and the girl returned to Tiruppur on Friday when they were picked up by the police for inquiry.
During investigation, the girl was found to be four months pregnant. The case was altered and the man was booked under sections of the POCSO Act by the Tiruppur North All Women Police and was remanded in judicial custody, the police said.
(Childline, a 24x7 national emergency helpline service for children in distress, can be reached at 1098.)
