Kolar, Mar 13: Police have arrested a married couple under provisions of the Child Marriage Act, Pocso Act and Protection of Civil Rights Act in connection with the rape of a minor Dalit girl and her forced marriage at Hunasikote in Malur taluk of Kolar district.
The arrested are Gangaraju, 32, of Kumbara caste and from Dodda Kadathuru village, and his wife Pallavi, a 23-year-old Dalit woman, who had deserted her first husband. They got married a couple of months ago and were living at Hunasikote, near Tekal.
According to police, a 13-year-old cousin of Pallavi arrived at their house last week and was staying with them. Gangaraju allegedly raped her and threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed it to anyone. The news, however, spread in the village and a complaint reached the child helpline in Malur.
Childline officials alerted police who questioned the girl, who said no such incident had taken place. Fearing trouble, Pallavi got her married to Gangaraju. When another complaint was lodged with the child's helpline, police, accompanied by a counsellor and legal adviser, spoke to the girl again.
This time, she narrated the entire incident and based on her father's complaint, both Gangaraju and Pallavi were arrested.
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