Plans of an Omani national to marry a local minor girl were foiled on Sunday night after the police caught him a few couple of hours before the marriage in Old City.
Badar Yousuf Ali Balushi, 37, employed in Musqat Municipality came to the city on July 18 and was staying at a hotel in Himayatnagar.
The marriage was to be solemnised on Sunday evening at the house of the 17-year-old girl who lives at Yakutpura. All arrangements were made and the bridge groom too arrived.
"They were waiting for the Qazi to come and solemnise the marriage. On a tip-off about the marriage, we rushed to the spot and detained Yousuf and the girl's parents," Rein Bazaar Inspector, G Ramesh said.
Yousuf told the police that he got in touch with the girl's family through the latter's relative who works in Oman.
"He paid over Rs. 30,000 for marriage-related expenses. He promised the family that he will take the girl along with him to Oman," the Inspector added.
A case under various sections of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 was registered against Yousuf.