Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Raped minor delivers baby in school toilet

- Karn Pratap Singh karn.singh@hindustant­imes.com

Even though her belly had protruded, the family did not suspect anything. They thought that she was suffering from gasrelated issues.

16-year-old Class 10 student raped allegedly by an auto driver for eight months gave birth to a premature girl at her school’s washroom in northwest Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar on Thursday.

Police said the girl was impregnate­d by the 51-year-old neighbour, who raped her eight times in as many months.

The auto driver was arrested on Friday after a case under sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against him at the Mukherjee Nagar police station.

The man, identified as Abdul Gaffar, allegedly admitted to his crime. He claimed said he would pay her Rs 500 to Rs 800 every time he raped her.

The girl’s parents or her teachers and classmates were unaware of her 26-week pregnancy. She had been suffering from stomach pain for the past few days.

Gaffar had given her abortion pills after he learnt she was pregnant, police said.

A police officer said the girl was writing an exam in the school when she developed labour pain. When she complained of stomach pain, the teacher asked her to go to the washroom.

Minutes later, the girl delivered a baby girl in the washroom.

The school administra­tion informed the girl’s parents, who had no clue how she became pregnant.

The authoritie­s rushed the girl and her pre-mature baby to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

Milind Dumbre, deputy commission­er of police (northwest), said the condition of the girl and her daughter was out of danger and stable.

After the girl gained consciousn­ess, she narrated her ordeal to the police. She said she was being raped by her neighbour for the past eight months.

“Even though her belly had protruded, the family did not suspect anything. They thought that she was suffering from gasrelated issues,” said the officer.

The man said after she complained of stomach ache, he gave her abortion pills, which could have created complicati­ons, the police said.

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