Techie booked for rape; minor 'rescued'

One Murugan working with a software firm in Mangalore in Karnataka was arrested in a coordinated effort by the Karnataka police and its counterpart in Hyderabad, and a 15-year-old city girl was “rescued”, the police said.

The minor girl had left her home and went to Tirupati two months ago after having a petty fight with her parents, said a senior police officer here on Thursday. Following which her parents lodged a missing complaint with the police.

“It was in Tirupati that the girl met Murugan and went with him to Mangalore and was staying with him for the past two months. The techie and the minor girl allegedly had sexual relationship and also intended on marriage,” the police officer explained.

Based on a cell phone particulars, the girl was traced in Mangalore with the help of the Karnataka police and was brought to Hyderabad along with Murugan on Thursday, he said. The minor girl has reportedly told the police that the techie had sexual relationship with her following her consent. “Now that the girl is a minor, we have booked a case of rape against the software professional,” the police officer said adding that Murugan was sent to judicial custody, while the girl has been handed over to her parents.