12-year-old gives birth to girl, youth booked for rape

LUDHIANA: A 12-year-old gave birth to a baby girl at a private hospital early on Wednesday morning. After the hospital authorities informed the police, a rape case has been registered against a youth from Bihar.

Sources in the hospital said the pregnant girl was accompanied by her mother. “The case came around 7am and the girl delivered the baby normally. The mother and child are fine and admitted to the hospital. After the delivery, we informed the police. The girl’s attendants said she was around 12 years old,” said Dr Bhavna Sachdeva, the gynaecologist.

The police said the youth who fathered the child has left for Bihar as he was a migrant worker. The girl’s family is also from the state. Sources said both the families were neighbours.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Ashwani Kapoor said Division 6 SHO was investigating the matter and recording the statements of the minor’s family.

SHO inspector Jaswinder Singh said the accused was aged between 18 and 20 years and has been booked under Section 376 (rape) of the IPC and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. He added that the family of the accused had left for Bihar on Holi and the girl’s kin don’t have their address.

The SHO said they would arrest the accused after getting his address. He added that the girl, who was a Class VII student, left studies after she got pregnant. Police officials said father of the survivor remains sick and her mother manages the household. The survivor has two younger brothers.