A 16-year-old girl was allegedly beheaded by the man she was supposed to marry on Thursday, hours after authorities halted their engagement ceremony in Madikeri in Karnataka. The man took the severed head with him as he fled, police said.
Prakash, 32, was set to marry Meena, who cleared her Class 10 exams yesterday, at Surlabbi village in Madikere. However, someone informed the Child Welfare Department about the illegal ceremony. Officials reached the venue and ordered the families to stop the ceremony as the girl was a minor and her marriage could attract a case under the POCSO and Child Marriage Acts.
After the families were counseled, they agreed to cancel the ceremony and postpone the wedding until Meena was 18 years old.
Hours later, Prakash barged into the girl's home and attacked her parents, police said. He kicked her father and assaulted her mother with a sharp object. He then dragged the girl about 100 yards from the house and allegedly beheaded her before fleeing.
Prakash has gone missing and police have started a search operation. “Every effort is being made to arrest the suspect,” Superintendent of Police (Kodagu) Ramarajan K told news agency PTI.
The victim's father and mother have been admitted to hospital.
A case has been registered against Prakash under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, police said.