14-Year-Old Girl Gives Birth in Hubballi: POCSO Case Registered, Doctors Accused of Concealing Pregnancy
A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, has been registered in Hubballi after a 14-year-old girl gave birth to a baby. The Hubballi Town Police have registered a case against a man accused of abducting and sexually exploiting the minor.
The Dharwad District Child Protection Officer, Deepa Javur, has also filed complaints against a doctor in Dharwad district and three doctors from a private nursing home in Hubballi for allegedly concealing the girl's pregnancy.
According to the complaint, the accused man allegedly abducted the girl, confined her to a house, and sexually assaulted her. The girl later informed her parents, who sought medical advice from a local doctor. They were then referred to a nursing home in Hubballi.
The doctors are accused of failing to report the minor's pregnancy, which is mandatory under the POCSO Act and other legal provisions. The girl delivered the baby at her home, but due to excessive bleeding, she was taken to a private nursing home and later to the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMCRI) in Hubballi.
Dr. Rajashekhar Dyaberi, in-charge medical superintendent at KMCRI, confirmed that the girl is 14 years and three months old and has been admitted to the Nirbhaya ward. The newborn is receiving treatment in the intensive care unit. Both mother and child are reported to be stable.
The case highlights the ongoing issue of child sexual abuse and the legal obligations of medical professionals to report such instances. The police investigation is underway.
