20-year-old held for eloping and exploiting minor girl in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Filmnagar police have arrested a 20-year-old man, Kalyan Babu, for allegedly stalking and eloping with a 15-year-old girl from the Scheduled Tribes community.

According to the investigation, Kalyan Babu had been in a relationship with the victim for two years. In November 2024, he reportedly took her to various locations in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Yadadri, where they got married. The victim was reportedly exploited during this period.

The victim's parents filed a missing person complaint at the Filmnagar Police Station. She was later located and returned to her family, but during the Sankranti holidays, she left again and chose not to return home.

Kalyan Babu was arrested on March 7, 2025, and has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including the POCSO Act, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and the SCs & STs (POA) Act, 1989. The accused faces potential legal consequences.

He was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing.