CHENNAI: Taking into account the risks a minor girl is facing due to pregnancy, the Madras High Court on Tuesday granted permission for aborting her 24-week-old foetus. Justice M Dhandapani passed the orders on a petition filed by the father of the 14-year-old girl, directing the dean of Government Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital to take necessary action for terminating the foetus.
In his petition, the girl’s father said he came to know about the girl’s pregnancy only this month after she fell ill frequently. She had told the parents that a boy, closely related to the family, had sexual intercourse with her on October 15, 2022 when she was alone at her home.
He had repeated the assault several times later, leading her to pregnancy. When she was taken to the Government Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital, the doctors examined her and told the parents of the difficulties she may face.
The medical termination of pregnancy committee too submitted a report saying continuation of the pregnancy would pose serious threat to her life, the petitioner said. Moreover, the termination has to be done since the girl is just 14 years old, and she needed to pursue her studies, the father stated in the petition.