A Chennai policeman has been arrested under the POCSO Act for allegedly marrying a girl who fell in love with her schoolmate near Madurai to ‘save the honour of his family.’
Palanikumar hails from Maikudi village next to Thirumangalam in Madurai district. The 27-year-old joined the police force in 2016. Palanikumar, who had been working in the law and order unit at the Madhavaram Dairy Farm Police Station from the Armed Forces. He was currently driving for the Criminal Investigation Department.
Palanikumar is said to have married his 17-year-old cousin near Samayanallur on the 17th of last month at the behest of his parents. He has been living with his new wife near the Madhavaram police station in Chennai.
District Social Welfare Officer Revathi lodged a complaint at the Madhavaram All Women’s Police Station after she received a complaint from the Child Welfare Organization that Palanikumar had forcibly married the girl and kept her locked up at home. The child marriage, which was held in a hurry to ‘save the family’s honour’, came to light when police inspector Kannaki called policeman Palanikumar for questioning.
Palanikumar’s uncle’s daughter fell in love while going to school. Upon knowing this, her parents and relatives had decided to marry the girl off to Palanikumar, saying that their family’s honour would be affected if she married her boyfriend. Although Palanikumar knew that this was wrong, it was revealed that he had brought his uncle’s daughter to Chennai and married her under the pressure of the family.
Despite being a policeman, the police registered a case against Palanikumar under the POCSO Act for marrying a 17-year-old minor girl, and produced him in court and remanded him in custody. It has been reported that Palanikumar’s wife had informed her boyfriend, who had lodged a complaint with the Children’s Welfare Organization.
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