VIRUDHNAGAR: Doctors at the Aruppukottai government hospital on Monday were shocked to find a 14-year-old girl in labour at the hospital. However, they had little time to ask questions as the child was brought with complications. Following a Cesarean-operation, through which she delivered a boy, doctors alerted the police.
The POCSO act makes it mandatory for persons to report sexual violence against minors to the authorities. According to police, the child is a Class 8 student. As she was staying home during the lockdown, her family sent her to work at a mill in her village. At the mill, a 21-year-old man allegedly coerced her into a relationship.
When her family learnt of this, they sent her to her grandmother's house from where she returned home two weeks ago pregnant. Her mother decided to inform the police after her daughter delivered the baby as she feared a police case would affect her daughter's health.
After the baby was born, based on a complaint filed by the girl's mother an FIR was registered under Sections 5(l), j(ii) and 6 of the POCSO act and the youth was arrested on Tuesday evening. The girl and her baby are being monitored at the GH.