HC flags cases of minor girls eloping with married men, suggests counselling

Flagging several cases of minor girls eloping with men who were much older than them, the Madras High Court Thursday advocated counselling for teenagers, their parents and directed the government to furnish data on those arrested under the POCSO Act for such offences.

A division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and S Baskaran, hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who eloped with a 45-year-old married man, observed girls of such age could be lured by "sweet promises and kind words".

Although the man was arrested by the police, he was released on bail with conditions. But as the girl eloped with him again, the parents filed the petition.

A habeas corpus plea is a petition which is filed to ensure a person under arrest is brought before a court which determines whether the detention is legal or not.

Observing that the maturity of teenage girls was not the same as adults, the court said girls of such an age group could be easily lured by persons projecting themselves as caring individuals.

Therefore, it was high time that the government came out with a counselling programme, both for teenagers as well as their parents, the court said.

"It is disheartening to know the shocking development in the society... incidents of minors eloping with aged persons or married people is increasing manifold," the bench said.

In such incidents, the families of not only the minor but also of the offender, who is already married with children are affected.

"This kind of trend has become a challenge to the society and it should be curtailed."