For fleeing with a minor girl, Maharashtra youth arrested after 7 months in Tamil Nadu

A 22-year-old man has been arrested by police under the POCSO Act in the case of abducting a minor seven months ago.

Madurai: A 22-year-old man was arrested on Sunday under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Thiruparankundram Police Station for allegedly taking a minor girl to Maharashtra on the pretext of marriage.

According to police, the accused, identified only by his first name Selva, is a resident of Maharashtra. Selva and a 16-year-old girl from Madurai came to know each other through 'Free Fire' online game in 2021. Later, on December 20, Selva took the minor girl to Maharashtra on the pretext of marriage. Meanwhile, the girl's parents filed a missing case at Thiruparankundram Police Station. The police who pursued the case traced the girl and found her in Pune. She was brought back to Tamil Nadu on April 4.

The accused Selva was missing at this time. Since then, the police, who were searching, got information about Selva's presence in Rajkot in Maharashtra and a team of five policemen raided the accused and arrested him after seven months, and brought him to Tamil Nadu. A POCSO Act has been registered on the charge of secretly abducting a minor. He was produced before the court and sent to Madurai Central Jail.