New Delhi, Jul 1 (IANS): A 13-year-old girl, who fled home to begin a 'new life' with her boyfriend to escape the regular scolding of her parents, has been finally rescued by the Delhi Police after nearly 10 months, an official said on Friday.

The teen girl was rescued from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where she was staying with her boyfriend as 'husband and wife'.

The accused boyfriend, identified as Neeraj, has been arrested by the police and charged under relevant sections of the POCSO Act.

Furnishing details, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Vichitraveer Singh, said the girl went missing from Fatehpur Beri in Delhi in October last year after which a case of kidnapping was registered by the police.

While hearing a writ petition in June, the Delhi High Court had transferred the investigation of the case to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Crime Branch.

Subsequently, a police team was constituted which began probing the matter. Within 18 days, manual and technical surveillance traced the girl's location to Coimbatore.

According to the DCP, during probe it was revealed that the parents of the missing girl used to scold her over small issues, and on October 12, 2021, the teen left her house along with her boyfriend Neeraj, who was residing in the same locality.

"By alluring the missing girl for marriage, Neeraj first took her to his village in Bihar and then to Coimbatore," the DCP said, adding that the accused and the missing girl were living together in Coimbatore since the past six months as 'husband and wife'.