Kota (Rajasthan):
A 21-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting his underage cousin for about 11 months after she gave birth to a child in a school toilet and abandoned the newborn on a vacant lot, police said Sunday.
The child was admitted to a hospital and is said to be in critical condition. The child survivor of the rape was undergoing treatment and her health condition has improved, officials said.
Within 4 to 5 hours of the newborn baby’s recovery on Saturday morning, police tracked down the minor survivor of the rape, said Bundi police superintendent Jai Yadav.
Based on the statement of the 15-year-old victim on Sunday, the police have filed a case under section 376 (rape) of IPC and relevant provisions of the POCSO Act against a 21-year-old identified youth absconding, Circle Inspector (CI ) at Bundi Sadar police station, Arvind Bhardwaj told reporters.
It was learned that the suspect and the underage girl were cousins and that he had been raping and sexually exploiting her for the past 10-11 months, he said.
The underage girl regularly visited her grandmother and the suspect also lived in that village. She would live with her for a few days and the suspect would rape her whenever he had the chance, leading to her pregnancy.
The girl gave birth to a baby girl early Saturday in a bathroom of a private school in the town of Bundi and later abandoned the child in an abandoned lot.
The suspect has yet to be arrested as he has fled his home since the case came to light on Saturday morning and an attempt is underway to arrest him, the CI said.
The role of the minor survivor’s parents is also under the lens, Yadav said, adding that a case in the case had already been registered under section 315 of IPC (Act done with the intention of preventing a child from being born alive ) in the early stages on Saturday.
“The baby was brought here on Saturday with severe hypothermia and abrasions, sepsis all over her body. The newborn is currently on oxygen and vasopressor support and the next 48 hours are very crucial for her,” said Aashutosh Sharma of Jay Kay Lon Hospital in Kota .
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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