Hyderabad: A judicial inquiry will be conducted by a special magistrate into the child marriage incident took place in Keshampet on Monday. Officials of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) on Monday lodged a complaint with Keshampet police stating the victim, a 12-year-old girl, was kidnapped by her uncle Ravinder and was married to him on May 12 in the presence of victim’s parents T. Gopal and Yellamma.
Ironically, the police did not give any response regarding the status of the case and no arrests have been made so far.
The Keshampet police registered a case of kidnapping and child marriage under the Child marriage Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against the victim’s family members and they were taken into custody.
“We registered a case of kidnapping against the victim’s uncle Ravinder who is absconding,” Keshampet police inspector T. Praveen Kumar said.
“We are making efforts to nab him and investigating whether some other person is also involved in the forcible marriage,” Praveen said. “Äs per the Child Marriage Act, the parents, mediators and the person whom the victim was married to should be arrested. It’s a grave offence,” B. V. Seshagiri, a senior advocate practicing criminal law and serving the Forensic Science Laboratories said. “Moreover, it’s a void marriage but the offence is grave and punishable,” Seshagari said. Meanwhile, the victim has been stationed in Sakhi Rescue Home at Vanasthalipuram since Monday and is monitored by the ICDS team.
“This case is sensitive. The magistrate, along with the district collector, will meet the victim and her parents and record their statements and then come to a conclusion on where the victim desires to stay and feels safe,” D. Vijaylakshmi, extension officer (EO), ICDS said.
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