Teen booked for rape mnths after 13yo gives birth inside hosp toilet

Pilibhit: An FIR has been registered against a 19-year-old youth for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl he was in a relationship with, nearly two months after she gave birth to a baby girl inside a hospital toilet on Feb 22.The FIR was registered on Monday after a delay of several weeks, despite directions from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The CWC bench, led by chairperson Purnima Singh, had on March 30 ordered the Pilibhit Kotwali SHO to lodge a case, but no action was taken until SP Sukirti Madhav intervened following TOI inquiries.In her statement, the survivor said she had been in a relationship with the accused for over a year. The incident came to light when she was taken to the hospital by her parents with complaints of severe abdominal pain, where she delivered the child, said CWC member magistrate Parvez Hanif.The newborn remained under medical observation for 18 days. Later, the child, along with her parents, was produced before the CWC by child helpline officials for further proceedings.As both the minor mother and the accused—residents of the same village under Pilibhit Kotwali police station—declined to take responsibility for the child, the baby was surrendered to the CWC. She is currently housed at a specialised adoption agency in Pilibhit under the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and is awaiting adoption.In its order, the CWC said the girl’s date of birth was verified as Jan 1, 2013, by her school principal, confirming she is a minor. It termed the case a heinous offence involving sexual and mental exploitation.SHO Satyendra Kumar said the accused has been booked under BNS section 65(1) (rape of a minor) and sections 3 and 4 of the Pocso Act. He is yet to be arrested.