Koppal, Dec 28 (IANS): Karnataka Police have arrested the parents, sister and her husband here in connection with pushing a girl into Devadasi system which is prohibited by law, police said on Wednesday.

According to police, the accused had performed the ceremony of dedicating their daughter to the service of the god. The ceremony took place in the Huligemma temple in Huligi near Koppal.

The ceremony was held in May and after the incident came to light lately, a complaint was lodged against the accused persons in the police station.

The Munirabad police station, which had lodged a complaint in this regard, have arrested the accused persons. The police action was taken following the complaint by Devadasi Rehabilitation Project officer Poornima.

Devadasi was earlier known to be a female artiste, dedicated to the service of god and art. However, the system became a tool for the exploitation of women and the society used them as prostitutes.

In Karnataka, the Devadasi system was practiced for over 10 centuries. The movement against the Devadasi system started in the country as early as 1882. The first legal initiative to outlaw the Devadasi system dates back to the 1934 Bombay Devadasi Protection Act, and in 1947 the Madras Devadasi (Prevention of Dedication) Act. The Devadasi system was formally outlawed in whole of India in 1988.

The Devadasi system still exists in Karnataka as well as other parts of the country under the guise of rituals in spite of the awareness programmes and dedicated projects.