Madurai: Panchayat VP arrested for marrying minor girl

TUTICORIN: The Tuticorin district police arrested a 36-year-old panchayat vice-president on Thursday for marrying a minor girl.
District child protection officer (DCPO) B Jothikumar said the 17-year-old girl from Nanguneri, was a Class 12 student and the youngest daughter. “Her parents were not financially sound . They solemnised her wedding with Sundar Raj of Asirvathapuram,” he said.
The wedding took place in Peikulam village on Wednesday morning, but could not be stopped as information reached Childline and child protection unit only by afternoon.A team of officials rushed to Raj’s place and rescued the girl. She was taken to the reception unit for rescued girls in Tuticorin.
The Tiruchendur all women police station booked the accused and his parents under sections 9 (punishment for male adult marrying a child) and 10 (punishment for solemnising a child marriage) of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006. “Sundar Raj was arrested remanded in judicial custody on Thursday,” said inspector of AWPS, Prema.