Man held for marrying, raping minor

 Police have arrested a 25-year-old man from New Gurappana Palya for tying the knot with a minor girl and consummating the marriage on the wedding night. 

Parents of the girl—all of 14 years old—had betrothed her to Syed Muzammil, who works as a mechanic at a garage near their house in Bismillah Nagar on Bannerghatta Road. But the girl’s brother opposed the marriage, saying she was too young. But the parents did not budge and hurriedly married her off last Sunday, the police said. Thereafter, the girl was sent to her in-laws. 

The brother got so upset seeing Muzammil take his sister into his bedroom that he hurried up to the police station and made a complaint, seeking protection for his sister. 

Police acted fast. They stormed the house and raided the bedroom. But Muzammil had consummated the marriage by then and ran away. The girl confirmed to the police that Muzammil made love to her. 

According to DCP (Southeast), Dr Rohini Katoch Sepat, a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, had been registered and the girl given into the protective custody of the Child Welfare Committee. The parents, who are absconding, will be arrested too, he added. 

Fake garments recovered

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on Wednesday arrested  a man and recovered fake garments of popular international brands worth Rs 10.20 lakh.The suspect was identified as Ashok Kumar Jain, 48, a resident of KV Extension area. The police raided the first floor of Shakthi Gruhajyothi Nilayam, 1st Cross, Sudhamanagar, Lalbagh Road, and arrested him. He had stored fake readymade garments in his house and sold them to customers claiming them to be genuine, the police said.

The police also raided Seema Chemicals located at 2nd Cross, Vinayakanagar, Kamakshipalya, and recovered barrels containing 2,350 litres of kerosene mixed with thinner. The police arrested Rakesh, 20, a resident of Kamakshipalya.

Pedestrian killed

A water tanker mowed down a garment factory worker in the Mico Layout traffic police limits on Thursday. The victim, Maghuram, 45, a resident of 9th Main, Bilekahalli, was returning home after buying vegetables in Vijaya Bank Colony when the accident occurred at around 7 am. The driver fled the spot after the accident, the police said. 

Maghuram, married with three children, was working as a tailor at the factory.