About 50 villagers stormed the Vedurukuppam police station on Saturday night and ransacked the premises, damaging furniture and attacking the constables on duty, after the police intervened in a “child marriage” and informed the ICDS authorities about it.
The Puttur sub-division police on Saturday rescued a 13-year-old girl after she was allegedly “married away” to a 36-year-old man at Yanamala Manda village of Vedurukuppam mandal, 60 km from here. The marriage was reportedly performed on October 29.
According to information, the area police at Vedurukuppam received information about the child marriage on Friday evening. The area sub-inspector, Lokesh Reddy, summoned the families of both sides and counselled them, besides issuing a warning that the minor should girl be kept under the custody of her mother till further measures. He had informed the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Agency) authorities in the district about the girl.
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Deputy SP (Puttur) D. Murali Dhar along with special parties rushed to the village and brought the situation under control. “When the area SI tried to initiate measures for rehabilitation of the minor girl after her marriage to a 36 year old man, a group of villagers ransacked the police station at Vedurukuppam. We have registered criminal cases against several persons and several more would be identified,” the Deputy SP said, adding that several of the accused, including the bridegroom, were allegedly involved in brewing of illicit liquor in the village. A police picket has been arranged at the hamlet.