Teenager rescued from Devadasi tradition

Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, Nov 5 (UNI) In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old Dalit girl was almost forced to become a 'Devadasi' (girls dedicated to the local deity) in a hamlet in this district of Tamil Nadu, but timely intervention by the authorities helped saved her.

R Krishnaveni, studying in eight standard in a local Government school, was rescued by police from a temple.

Her parents, the village headman and the priest who conducted the ritual were arrested.

Police said the parents decided to dedicate one of their three daughters to the local deity after a ''divine spirit'' possessed one of the parents and found fault with them family for giving up the 'Devadasi tradition', practised by them three generations ago.

Meanwhile, the police launched a detailed investigation into the incident to find out whether the tradition was still in practice in the villages.

UNI