Chandigarh, Sept. 2: The week-old Karnal toddler “snatched” from his parents because they had married within the same gotra (clan) was reunited with the couple today.

Police have brought charges of kidnapping and criminal intimidation against six members of the Katalhedi village council — in Karnal district — which ordered Pawan and Kavita to separate or “live like brother and sister”.

The week-old baby was found with a woman in Oindh village of the same district, Karnal’s senior superintendent of police, A.S. Chawla, told PTI.

The infant was handed to her by the panchayat members soon after they annulled the couple’s marriage. The woman will not be arrested since she has no links with members of the village council, Chawla said.

The case against members of the khap panchayat — a traditional elders’ council distinct from an elected panchayat — has been registered under Sections 363 (kidnapping from lawful guardian), 342 (illegal confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. However, no arrests were made until late tonight.

A senior Haryana minister said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had “directly intervened” today, asking the state to take quick action.