The All Women Police Station (AWPS), Coimbatore east, on Friday arrested a youth from the city on charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl after marrying her.
The police also arrested four friends of the youth for allegedly helping him marry the minor girl.
According to the police, the 21-year-old youth of a residential area near Sungam in the city was arrested based on the complaint lodged by the parents of the girl.
The accused allegedly befriended the girl who had been working as a salesgirl in a shop. The girl was reported missing three months ago and her parents complained to the police that the accused could have abducted her.
On Thursday, the police came to know that the girl, who hails from a place near Perur Pachapalayam, visited a temple at Sungam. The police brought her to the station. However, she refused to go with her parents after which the police decided to produce her before the District Child Welfare Committee.
While the police personnel at the AWPS were busy making arrangements for Ayudha Puja, the girl came out of the station and the friends of the youth took her to Perur Pachapalayam.
The police managed to trace the girl and the youth on Friday. They arrested the youth on charges of sexually assaulting the minor girl after abducting and marrying her.
The girl was produced before the District Child Welfare Committee which sent her to a home for children.
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