SALEM: A 25-year-old youth from Vazhapadi near Salem was beaten up and tonsured allegedly by members of his his own family for marrying a 17-year-old Dalit girl.
The youth belongs to one of the 'Most Backward Class' community. While police arrested six of his family members on Friday, the youth was booked under the provisions of POCSO Act for impregnating a minor.
Police said he would be arrested once he recovers from the assault.
Vazhapadi police said the youth, a resident of Chinnanaickenpalayam near Vazhapadi in Salem, fell in love with a 17-year-old Dalit girl residing in Yethapur. His family opposed the match on the ground that the girl was from a lower caste.
Earlier this year, on February 15, the youth and the girl eloped, police said. Based on a complaint from the girl’s parents, Vazhapadi police registered a missing person complaint but the couple could not be found.
On Thursday, the youth’s family reportedly learned that he was living with the girl, now seven months pregnant, at Pallipalayam in Namakkal.
“His family members went to Pallipalayam, picked him up and brought him to Vazhapadi where he was assaulted and his head tonsured,” police sources said.
The youth fainted during the attack.
On being informed of the attack, Vazhapadi police found the youth and admitted him at the Salem Government Hospital. A case was registered and six people, including the youth’s mother, brother and sister, were arrested on Friday.
Further investigations are on.
Police also registered a case against the youth under the POCSO act for abducting and impregnating a minor. He will be arrested once he recovers, police sources said.