Police arrest 22-year-old man for marrying minor, sexual assault in Raichur

Raichur Women Police have arrested a man in connection with sexual assault on a minor girl whom he had married in Raichur, Karnataka on August 3.

According to Superintendent of Police G. Puttamadaiah, police arrested Tatappa, the 22-year-old son of Narasayya of Shaktinagar. 

The women police had registered a case against 10 persons, including Tatappa, on July 21, following a complaint by Gram Panchayat Development Officer of Deosugur, Ravikumar, who had checked the girl’s age-related documents.

According to the FIR, accused No. 2 to 10 — Gaddemma, Sumangala, Geetha, Anjaneyya, Gaddeppa, Renuka, Sadanand, Mahadevi, and Ramanagouda — performed the marriage of Tatappa with the girl on April 18, at Shaktinagar, despite knowing that she was underage.

The FIR further stated, quoting the victim’s statement, that Tatappa committed sexual assault on her twice at his house, despite knowing that she was a minor.

The police registered a case under Sections 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Child Marriages Act, Sections 64 r/w 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita 2023, and Sections 6 and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) 2012.