PANEL AGAINST ABORTION FOR 10YEAROLD RAPE SURVIVOR

The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) panel constituted to examine the 10-year-old pregnant rape victim for abortion is learnt to have recommended against it. The girl is nearly 8 months pregnant.

The minor was examined by an eight member team of doctors following a direction from Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar on Monday asking whether the pregnancy of minor can be terminated.

The panel has suggested that the minor should continue with the pregnancy, as the girl has already crossed the deadline to abort the child, one of the panel member said. “Do you think, at this stage she can abort?,” said another member adding, “Our (panel members) views are what you are thinking.” The doctors were not ready to be quoted citing instructions to not to talk to anybody. India has a 20-week legal ceiling on abortion.

The girl was accompanied by her mother, member secretary, UT Chandigarh State Legal Services Authority , Mahavir Singh, along with some police officials for the examination at PGIMER conducted between 9:30am and 1pm. Upon examination, the panel is learnt to have submitted the report by at 2:30pm, in a sealed cover to the Director PGIMER, who has further submitted it to Mahavir Singh.

The 8-member-panel was constituted on Monday evening. It was chaired by Dr D Behera, head, Pulmonary medicine and member secretary, Dr Vipin Koushal from PGIMER administration. The other members are Dr Vanita Suri, head, Gynaecology, Dr Praveen Kumar, a paediatrician, Dr N Khandelwal, head, Radiodiagnosis, Dr Ajit Awasthi, head, Psychiatry department, Dr Swati Kumari, head, Internal medicine and Dr Manoj Kumar Rohit from Cardiology department.

On July, 24, when HT had spoken to some gynecologists, atleast five from PGIMER had ruled out the possibility of abortion.