Minor rape victim delivers baby

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 17

The minor pregnant rape victim has given birth to a baby girl at Women and Children Hospital here. A day after the delivery, the newborn was handed over to the District Child Welfare Committee.

The mother and the infant are healthy after a normal delivery that took place two days ago at the hospital. The infant weighs around 3.8 kg which is a sign of a healthy baby, said a doctor.

Sukhjinder Singh Gill, Senior Medical Officer, Women and Children Hospital, Bathinda, said, “Since both mother and infant were healthy, the latter has been handed over to the District Child Welfare Committee on family members’ request. Now, they will follow up the process of child’s adoption further.”

Talking to Bathinda Tribune, Ravneet Sidhu, District Child Protection Officer, said, “Since the newborn has been surrendered by the mother and her family, she will be under observation for two months at the child adoption agency. Thereafter, we will seek approval for her adoption from the local court before the process of adoption can be initiated. It seems that adoption will take a few months. During the two-month period, parents or family members of the baby can claim the child after which (if they don’t) we will initiate the process of adoption.”

“We have even facilitated legal services by arranging a lawyer to handle the case against the accused. Besides, we have been following it up with the District Legal Service Authority that will grant compensation of Rs2 lakh for the minor rape victim. In the case of unmarried mother, there are a few legal formalities which we will fulfil to initiate adoption of the child,” the District Child Protection Officer added.

A prospective adopter or a couple needs to register and apply for child adoption on the official website of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and fulfil the required formalities that include uploading documents (IT returns of the past three years, date of birth proof, ID proof, marriage certificate and occupation, said an official.

Earlier, the minor rape victim’s mother had been running from pillar to post to get proper treatment for her daughter. Later, when a news item was published in Bathinda Tribune, she was admitted to the hospital.