15-year-old gives birth in Sohna after being raped by man she met on social media: Police

Police said the girl was lured away by a man she met online in August and returned home on Tuesday after falling ill. Her parents later took her to the hospital on Thursday after she complained of severe abdominal pain and doctors told them that she was in labour

A 15-year-old girl gave birth to a boy in Sohna after she was allegedly raped repeatedly by a man she had befriended on social media, police said on Saturday.

Based on the girl’s statement, an FIR was registered against the suspect under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act at City Sohna police station on Thursday. (Representational image)

Police said the incident came to light when the girl complained of severe abdominal pain and was taken to the Sohna subdivisional hospital on Thursday, where doctors informed her parents that she was in labour.

According to police, neither the girl nor her parents knew she was pregnant, as there had been little visible physical change. Her parents were also unaware that she had been sexually assaulted.

A senior police officer said hospital authorities alerted police, following which a team reached the facility and recorded statements from the girl, her parents and the doctors.

“During the counselling, the child told us that she had befriended a man from Firozpur Jhirka in Nuh on Instagram almost one and a half years ago. He lured her into meeting him at various locations and repeatedly sexually assaulted her. Out of fear and unaware of the consequences, she did not say anything to her parents,” the officer said.

Investigators said the suspect stopped communicating with the girl about two months ago, following which she left home on August 1. Her parents searched for her at several locations but filed a missing person’s complaint at City Sohna police station only on October 10.

Police said the girl returned home on Tuesday after falling ill. Her parents later took her to the hospital on Thursday after she complained of severe abdominal pain.

Based on the girl’s statement, an FIR was registered against the suspect under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act at City Sohna police station on Thursday.

Sandeep Turan, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said investigators had identified the suspect.

“He will be arrested soon. The victim is stable but still at hospital for treatment. The condition of the infant is also stable. Both of them are under observation,” he said.

Turan said that if the girl’s parents refused to keep the infant, the child would be handed over to an NGO in accordance with the prescribed procedures. “The child will be put up for adoption following all legal procedures,” he added.