CUDDALORE: The Panruti all-women police arrested a 25-year-old man on charges of marrying a minor girl, sexually assaulting her and impregnating her in a village in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
A 16-year-old girl visited a primary health centre near Panruti for treatment. The doctor found that she was a minor and was four months pregnant. The doctor alerted the Panruti all-women police.
A police team reached the centre and on inquiries, the team learned that the youth had married the minor girl with the consent of the parents and relatives from both sides. The wedding was held on Sept 7, 2023. The youth sexually assaulted the minor girl and as a result, the girl became pregnant. Presently, the girl is four months pregnant.
The police booked the youth under sections 5 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 5 (l) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on the child more than once or repeatedly) , 5 (j) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on a child), 5 (j) (ii) (in the case of a female child, makes the child pregnant as a consequence of sexual assault) and 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012 and Section 9 (punishment for male adult marrying a child) of the Child Marriage Act and arrested him.
The police also booked four relatives of the youth and the girl under Section 10 (punishment for solemnizing a child marriage) of the Child Marriage Act and arrested them.