Madhya Pradesh:Minor Girl raped, Doctor accused of Illegal abortion arrested

The girl has been identified as a 15-year-old and the accused sexually assaulted the girl on October 16 last year at his coaching centre following which she became pregnant, the SP said, citing investigations carried out so far. Her pregnancy was terminated by the doctor on March 22 unlawfully at the private hospital, Prasad said. All the four accused were involved in getting the five-month-old foetus of the minor aborted clandestinely, Betul SP Simala Prasad told reporters.

All the four accused were involved in getting the five-month-old foetus of the minor aborted clandestinely, the SP said. They have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act). The hospital director, who is also a doctor, the rape accused (26) and the minor's father and mother, aged 53 and 48, respectively were arrested after the police received a tip-off about the sordid episode, reports PTI.

Last year, a Tura-based doctor who was arrested for allegedly conducting an illegal abortion on a minor rape victim was refused to bail by the court. The South Garo Hills Police arrested the doctor almost one week ago from Williamnagar Hospital for conducting an illegal abortion procedure on a minor to terminate her pregnancy. The minor was allegedly raped by her brother-in-law.

The POCSO Act sets a gender-neutral tone for the legal framework available to child sexual abuse victims. Consequently, a child of any gender who has been sexually wronged has access to the remedies provided under the act.