Child Marriage: Two priests attached to Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu arrested

Police said the bride’s father Hemasabesa Deekshitar and the groom’s father Venkatesa Deekshitar were arrested based on a complaint. The girl was about 13 years old at the time of the alleged wedding

Chennai: Two deekshithars (priests) attached to the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple in Tamil Nadu were arrested Saturday and later sent to remand in connection with the alleged wedding of their minor children, the police said. The Cuddalore all-women police station (AWPS) has registered a case under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

According to officers, the bride’s father Hemasabesa Deekshitar and the groom’s father Venkatesa Deekshitar were arrested based on a complaint from the social welfare department. Following the arrests, a group of priests and their families staged a protest in Chidambaram and were detained by the police.

The police said the marriage was allegedly held in Chidambaram town last year and the minor girl was about 13 years old and the groom was about 17 years old at the time. An officer associated with the investigation. “The marriage was held on January 25, 2021 at about 04.30 am at a wedding hall. We had gathered those reports and we made the arrests based on the complaint.”

The accused are currently lodged in Chidambaram sub-jail. “As of now, the groom is also a victim. We are awaiting the reports. After that we will initiate legal proceedings,” the officer added. He said the sections charged would be altered to those under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on the girl’s medical test reports.