In a horrific development in Karnataka's Kodagu, a 16-year-old girl was beheaded by a man after the two families mutually decided to postpone their marriage until she turned major. The 32-year-old accused, who fled with the victim's decapitated head, is yet to be traced by the police.
According to news reports, the 16-year-old Meena, the youngest among the family's six kids, was to get engaged to the accused, identified as Prakash on May 9, Thursday. She had passed class 10 in the recently declared results.
However, the decision to get the minor girl married off was leaked to the officials by some informers via the Child Helpline number. Soon, authorities reached Kodagu's Surlabbi village and met with the two families at Meena's house. They were told about the implications of getting a minor girl married off. If they went ahead with the marriage, it would attract provisions of the POCSO Act and Child Marriage Act, they pointed out.
Thus, the two families mutually decided to suspend the alliance until Meena turned 18, news agency PTI said in a report.
However, things took an ugly turn on Thursday evening, only hours after Prakash's family left the bride's residence after counselling with the government staff.
Barging into the house armed with a sharp-edged weapon, Prakash kicked and assaulted Meena's father until he became incapable of defending the family. He then attacked the girl's mother with a tool used to cut trees. The couple are undergoing treatment at a hospital for the injuries suffered during the home invasion.
Prakash then dragged Meena out of the house for about 100 metres before murdering her with the weapon, PTI said. Kodagu Superintendent of Police Ramarajan K told the news agency that he took the minor girl's head with her while fleeing the crime scene.
A case has been registered against the accused under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, police said.
