The Allahabad High Court has said that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was not intended for teenagers` romantic affairs. The court granted bail to a POCSO accused youth, who ran away with a 14- year-old girl and got married with her in a temple. The youth, who was a minor then, remained in company with the girl for almost two years during which the girl gave birth to a child. The boy is a Brahmin while the girl is a Dalit.

Allowing the bail application of one Atul Mishra, Justice Rahul Chaturvedi observed, "Growing incidences where teenagers and young adults fall victim of the offences under the POCSO Act, and being slapped by the penal provisions of the Act without understanding the far-reaching implication of the severity of the enactment, is an issue that brings much concern to the conscience of this court."