A minor girl from Kumbaragadige village in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu was on Thursday beheaded by a person to whom she was engaged. The incident has sent shock waves across the district.
The girl had cleared the SSLC examination, the results of which were announced on Thursday morning, and she had reasons to celebrate. But she got engaged to 33-year-old Prakash on the same day, and this was objected to by the District Child Rights Protection Unit, which learnt of the development and intervened. Local police said the Child Helpline received a call about the engagement and it alerted the officials concerned.
Officials intervene
Sources said officials of the Social Welfare Department reached the spot and counselled the girl’s parents. They told the parents that since she was a minor, it was unlawful for her to marry, and they took a bond from them that their daughter would not be married till she turned 18, the legal age for marriage for a girl.
Meanwhile, Prakash returned to the girl’s home late in the evening and, in a fit of anger, swiped at the parents of the girl, Subramani and Janaki, with a sharp weapon and inflicted severe injuries on their arms. Later, the girl was dragged out of the house to a distance of 150 meters, and her head was severed from her torso.
While Prakash escaped from the scene of the crime, the minor girl’s brother gave a written complaint to the police about the developments. The police, which reached the spot, shifted the girl’s parents to a hospital for treatment, besides providing them with security cover. The weapon used for committing the crime was recovered at a little distance away from the scene. A posse of eight to 10 armed personnel have been deployed in the village, which was in an isolated place, so as to infuse a sense of security among the local people.
A good student
According to Jayanti, convener of a local farmers’ organisation and activist, the victim was the only girl to appear for the SSLC examination from the local school and had passed with good marks. She was also good at sports and looked forward to pursuing her studies.
The Somwarpet police registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including 302 and 307 and under the POCSO Act. Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan, Additional SP Sundar Raj and other senior police officials visited the spot. Though there were rumours that the accused was also found dead near his house at Hammiyala village late on Friday, the police did not confirm this as no body could be traced at the spot.
