Another minor girl gives birth in Odisha's Kendrapara district

KENDRAPARA: A Class 10 student of a school in Kendrapara’s Patkura delivered a child at the local Community Health Centre (CHC) on Monday.

The 15-year-old girl’s pregnancy came as a shock for her parents after the doctor at the CHC informed them about her condition. The parents had rushed her to the hospital after she complained of severe pain in the stomach. After a check-up at Patkura CHC, the doctor announced that she was about eight months pregnant.

Unwilling to accept the truth, the parents engaged in a heated exchange with the doctor who had advised immediate admission considering the girl’s weak health condition.

A few hours later, the minor gave birth to a boy. Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Kendrapara, Rajiv Lochan Panda said, it was a normal delivery. Both the girl and her newborn have been shifted to government-run short stay home at Korua village.

The girl studies in Class X and was staying with her parents. After being informed about the incident, police rushed to the hospital and started an investigation.

It was found that the girl was being sexually abused for the last one year leading to pregnancy. The identity of the culprit has, however, not been disclosed due to the ongoing investigation.

A case has been filed under Section-376 and Sections-4 and 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act, 2012. The victim will be produced in court to give her statement as per Section-164 (5) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

It may be recalled that a 15-year-old tribal girl gave birth to a child at Danagadi CHC in Jajpur district a few hours after her appearance in court to record her statement.

Police arrested the accused, Pintu Jena, supervisor of a private construction company, for sexually abusing and impregnating the girl. The girl, in this case, revealed everything to an Asha worker in her area, who informed her family members when she was six months pregnant.