Baby born in hostel toilet dies in hospital a day later
BHUBANESWAR: A day after a student of Class 8 delivered a baby girl in a hostel toilet in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, the baby died in a hospital.
The 14-year-old girl and the newborn were initially admitted to the Baliguda Sub-divisional Hospital and later shifted to the MKCG Hospital after the delivery on Sunday.
Kandhamal district collector Brunda D said the newborn was grossly underweight and had little chances of survival. Later on Sunday night, they were shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur where the newborn died, hospital authorities said. “As per the direction of the government, we have taken stringent steps against the errant (employees). If necessary further action will be taken,” said Brunda.
The girl is undergoing treatment at the gynaecology ward and her condition is normal, MKCG Hospital Superintendent Charana Panda said. She had delivered the baby in the toilet of the Sevashram School Hostel in Daringibadi block.
RESULT OF RAPE
Police said the girl became pregnant after she was raped by a 23-year-old man of her village when she had gone home during vacations eight months ago. Superintendent of police (Kandhamal) Pratik Singh said Shraban Pradhan — a third-year college student who is a resident of Takalmaha village — was arrested for allegedly raping the minor girl when she had gone to home on a summer vacation.
The district administration suspended four people, including the school headmistress Radharani Dalai, and dismissed six others, including two matrons and an auxiliary nurse midwife, for dereliction of duty. Baliguda subcollector is conducting an inquiry into the incident and he is to submit a report in 10 days.
IMPACT OF THE CASE
Once the local people got wind of the matter, they staged a road blockade.
Opposition Congress and BJP have mounted a scathing attack on the state government over the incident.
State SC and ST development Minister Ramesh Majhi said the district collector had been asked to submit a detailed report on the circumstances under which the girl got pregnant and delivered the baby. He also assured that CCTV c a meras woul d b e installed in 1,000 residential schools run by his department.
Majhi said it has been decided to install CCTV cameras in school hostels in the state as a measure to enhance safety and security of students, particularly girls.
On Monday, a delegation of the state women Congress wing met the minor girl at the Behrampur hospital. State Congress women wing president Sumitra Jena said: “It proved that the BJD government had failed miserably to provide security to girls and women, mainly tribals.”
BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said atrocities and sexual exploitation of women and minor girls are rising in Odisha due to lack of political will and inaction on the part of the police.