Karnataka: 28-year-old booked for assault after class 9 student gives birth in school toilet

Yadgir, Karnataka: Police have identified a 28-year-old man as the accused during investigation after a 17-year-old class 9 student of a government-run residential school gave birth to a baby boy in the school’s toilet, on Friday.

The incident occurred at around 2 pm on August 27 at a school in Shahapur taluk of the district.

The matter came to light after the girl’s classmates, who reportedly saw her in labour, alerted the school administration, police said.

According to the FIR, the girl—aged 17 years and seven months—was full-term pregnant and had been "sexually assaulted" by an unidentified person about nine months ago.

Initially, the girl, said to be under "immense stress," refused to reveal details of the incident or the person involved. She only told authorities that she developed stomach pain while in the washroom and delivered the baby there.

Both the girl and the child were rushed to the hospital and are reported to be stable.

A senior officer said the girl will be counselled once she recovers and is declared fit by doctors, to ascertain what happened and whether she knew the accused.

Police also noted that the incident was not immediately reported by the school administration or even by the victim’s brother, who was informed soon after the delivery.

Based on a complaint by the District Child Protection Officer, a case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the accused.

Cases were also booked against four others—including the hostel warden, school principal, staff nurse and the victim’s brother—for failing to inform authorities about the girl’s pregnancy.

The girl had reportedly been irregular in school since the beginning of the academic year, police further said.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) suspended four employees of the school, including the principal and hostel warden, for alleged dereliction of duty and negligence in monitoring the students’ educational and health conditions.