Police book man, parents for child marriage in Chennai

Chennai: The All-Women Police Station (AWPS), Madhavaram, has booked a 22-year-old man and his parents in Puzhal here for solemnising his wedding with a 14-year–old girl in the same area.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered based on a complaint lodged by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on Saturday.

The FIR, accessed by DC, said the wedding of a minor girl with Vignesh was solemnised by his parents Murugan and Uma on April 17 at Matha Kovil, Acharambakkam, at 8 pm.

For the last eight months, Vignesh had an affair with the girl. As the girl’s mother objected to their relationship, Vignesh took the girl to Matha Kovil on April 15 at 9 pm. After staying there, Vignesh and the girl reached his house on April 16 at 8 am. For last two months, the accused lodged her in his house at Puzhal by “exploiting her sexually’, it says.

The FIR is under Section 9 (an adult male who solemnises a child marriage is punishable for two-year rigorous imprisonment or fine up to Rs.1 lakh, or both) and Section 10 (anyone who performs, conducts, directs, or abets any child marriage is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for two years along with a fine up to Rs.1 lakh) of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 and Section 6 (sexual assault, punishable for a minimum term of 10 years) of the Protection of Child from Sexual Offence (Pocso) Act-2012.

However, no arrest has been made in the incident.

A. Kannagi, Inspector, AWPS, Madhavaram, said the FIR was registered on Saturday and the accused were absconding. Asked whether medical examination was done to confirm the minor was pregnant, she said it would be conducted on Monday since today was Sunday.

Kasthuri Aadisaravanan, District Child Protection Officer, said that police would take stringent action as per law to prevent child marriages in the future. Police will conduct a medical examination whether the child was pregnant or not. It will take a couple of days,” she added.