Two Minor Cousins Pregnant After Sexual Assault in Karnataka, Police Probe Under Pocso
Hubballi-Dharwad police have launched an investigation under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after two minor cousins from the same family were found to be victims of sexual assault, resulting in underage pregnancies.
Police Commissioner N Shashikumar confirmed that both survivors are from the same family in Karnataka's Hubballi-Dharwad district. The investigation began after a 15-year-old girl conceived for the second time within a year of delivering her first child. This incident occurred shortly after her 14-year-old cousin delivered a baby at home under suspicious circumstances last week.
According to a complaint filed on Thursday by an officer from the Dharwad District Child Protection Unit, the 15-year-old was allegedly taken forcibly by an accused identified as Karim to an abandoned area near a railway station, where she was sexually assaulted multiple times between July and August 2025.
The police are investigating both cases under the stringent provisions of the POCSO Act, which provides for strict penalties for sexual offences against minors. Authorities are also examining the circumstances surrounding the home delivery of the 14-year-old cousin.
The incidents highlight ongoing concerns about child sexual abuse in the region and the need for robust implementation of child protection laws. The police have assured that all necessary legal steps will be taken to ensure justice for the survivors.
