Mayiladuthurai police rescued a 11-year-old girl who had gone missing a few days earlier and arrested her stepmother on charges of abuse and cruelty.
The girl had been living with her father after he separated from his first wife. Following his second marriage, the child came under the care of her stepmother. On January 28, the girl’s father filed a complaint at the Mayiladuthurai Police Station stating that his daughter had gone missing.
Superintendent of Police G. Stalin formed two special teams under the leadership of Inspector Sivakumar to trace the child. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage, questioned family members, teachers, and friends, and carried out extensive inquiries. The girl was located on January 29.
During questioning by the police and District Child Protection Officer Arokiyaraj, the girl alleged that she had fled home because of abuse by her stepmother. She alleged that she was often forced to do household chores and was subjected to physical torture.
Based on a complaint from the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), the police registered a case against the stepmother on Thursday under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. She was arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
Published – January 31, 2025 08:35 pm IST