When consent becomes a crime: How POCSO is penalising teen romance in India

India’s POCSO Act, meant to protect children from sexual abuse, is increasingly being misused by families to criminalise consensual relationships between adolescents, often triggered by objections to inter‑caste or inter‑religious partnerships. With rising cases, high acquittal rates, and concerns from courts and experts, the debate intensifies over whether the law needs calibrated reform, including a possible “Romeo and Juliet” close‑in‑age exemption.