A 17-year-old girl in Kottakkal in Kerala's Malappuram delivered a child in her house on October 20 reportedly without the help or knowledge of any others but only by watching videos on deliveries on YouTube.
The incident came to light as the girl sought medical aid after an infection developed during the delivery. The hospital then intimated child protection and police authorities and a youth in the neighbourhood was subsequently arrested on charges of raping and impregnating the minor girl.
As per the girl's statement, the youth was arrested under POCSO Act and remanded to judicial custody. The girl's parents were said to be unaware of the pregnancy and the delivery. The girl's mother had vision ailments, said sources.
The girl and child were out of complications after treatment.
It may be recalled that a report published by the Kerala government's economic and statistics department in 2019 had revealed that 22,552 women in the 15-19 age group delivered in the state during 2017. The state government had also initiated various measures to curb child marriages.
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(Published 27 October 2021, 15:03 IST)
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