MUMBAI: High drama prevailed outside the Madurai Central Jail on Wednesday evening when a rape-accused who came out on bail attempted to tie the knot with the victim at the entrance of the prison.
As crowds began to gather, police intervened and dissuaded the couple from going ahead with the ceremony, which took place on Wednesday night at a temple in Milakaranai near Sikkandarsavadi.
The accused, R Murali, was remanded to judicial custody on September 6 after a complaint alleging rape was filed by a 19-year-old girl from a village near Vadipatti. The girl, who is said to be pregnant, later filed a statement in the court claiming that Murali had agreed to marry her, and did not object to the court granting him bail. Based on her statement, Murali was granted bail.
S Shanmuganathan, an advocate, said that the girl’s family persuaded the man to marry their daughter. Since they did not want Murali and his family to go back on their word after he was released on bail, they decided to conduct the
marriage right outside the prison. Sources close to the family claimed that the couple had consensual sex and since the man later refused to marry her, the girl’s family filed a complaint.