Dharmapuri: In a horrific case of sexual abuse, a 12-year old girl child, victim of an early marriage, was allegedly raped, not given enough food, beaten and locked for over a month in her in-laws' house for refusing to live with her husband in Dharmapuri district.

In the early hours of Monday, the Dharmapuri child help line staff rescued the girl from Irulapatti village in Pappireddipatti taluk. "She was rescued following information given by her neighbours as they were unable to bear the torture faced by her for over a month" S. Shine Thomas told DC.

Thomas, the director for the Dharmapuri child help line further added "the girl when questioned informed that she was given in marriage to a 22-year-old man"

Her 'wedding' took place a month ago with Santosh, 20, of Kodavalasai in Uthangarai taluk of Krishnagiri district. The groom is now a resident of Irulapatti where the girl child's elder sister Appus Lakshmi, 20, lives.

"Appus Lakshmi unable to sever her extra-marital relationship, gave her younger sister in 'marriage' to her paramour Santosh" according to Ananthi, a child help line volunteer who rescued the girl.

The rescue team, which entered the house found the girl locked in a room. Her frail health showed the girl was not given enough food and was also beaten. In a worst, she was raped and forced to live without dress after she tried to escape from the house, the volunteer said.

The Dharmapuri police have registered a case and are investigating. The girl victim was sent for medical examination at the Dharmapuri medical college and hospital