Youth held for confining minor girl at house

The police have arrested a youth for forcibly confining a minor girl at his house on the promise of marrying her in July last year. The police have already arrested the father and mother of the youth in this connection.

The accused has been identified as Ashish, who originally hails from Pratapgarh district in UP and presently residing in a colony here.

A police official said they received a complaint that the accused had forcibly confined the victim at his house on the promise of marrying her. Following which, the police launched a probe.

The accused, who was an auto-rickshaw driver, befriended the victim while she was travelling in his vehicle. He took the girl to his house and fraudulently married her by applying vermilion on her forehead. His parents, who helped him in the act, had already been arrested, said the police official.

On the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim, a case under the POCSO Act was registered in July 2024. The accused was sent to judicial custody, he said.