Minor impregnated in Odisha, lied about stillbirth; four held
ROURKELA: Police on Wednesday arrested a 35-year-old man for impregnating a minor girl at Bisra in Sundargarh district and apprehended three others for their involvement in the illegal adoption of the victim’s newborn baby.
Prime accused Sanjit Mahato along with his relative Mahavir Mahato, pharmacist of Bisra Community Health Centre (CHC) Sanat Mohanty and manager of Sudha nursing home Sanjay Panda was produced in POCSO court at Sundargarh town on Wednesday evening.
Member of the child welfare committee (CWC) Balmukund Shukla said the newborn baby was rescued from the residence of a doctor at Basanti Colony here. The unwed 17-year-old mother and her legal guardian surrendered the baby before the CWC. After a medical examination, the newborn was kept at the special adoption centre at Bisra.
Deputy SP of Zone-III AK Pradhan said the minor was working as a domestic help at the residence of Sanjit in Bisra block for the last couple of years. After she became pregnant, villagers forced Sanjit to take responsibility for his actions. The accused tried to get rid of the unwanted pregnancy but could do little as it was in an advanced stage.
Pradhan said Sanjit finally sought the help of the pharmacist and the latter roped in the nursing home manager for the girl’s delivery. On December 8, Sanjit, his relative Mahavir and the pharmacist took the pregnant minor in a four-wheeler to the nursing home where she gave birth to a baby girl the next day. The unwed mother was told that it was a stillbirth and subsequently, discharged from the nursing home.
However, suspecting that her baby girl was killed by Sanjit, the minor complained to police. The DSP further said during the investigation, it came to light that the newborn was taken by a doctor at the nursing home as he and his wife wanted to adopt the baby. The baby was rescued from the doctor’s residence in a healthy condition.
The CWC member said the doctor was not present at home when the baby was rescued. “He should have gone through the legal adoption process instead of keeping the baby directly,” Shukla added.