Minor girl allegedly assaulted by relative delivers newborn at Bapunagar temple hall, baby found dead

Ahmedabad City Police have booked a 22-year-old man from Banaskantha district under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after a 15-year-old girl from Kalol was found to have given birth in secret and allegedly abandoned the newborn at a temple hall in Bapunagar, where a family engagement ceremony was underway.

Newborn found dead in temple toilet

According to investigators, relatives and guests at a community hall near the Bapunagar Bhidbhanjan Hanuman temple were attending an engagement ceremony on September 9 when some guests heard cries and discovered the body of a newborn inside a plastic container in the toilet. An 108 ambulance team confirmed that the infant was dead when found.

Police were called to the scene and began tracing the mother of the infant. “Initial medical checks and statements of those present suggested that a minor family member had delivered the baby during the event,” a senior officer said.

Allegations of repeated sexual assault

Subsequent inquiry revealed that the girl, a Class 7 student from Kalol, had allegedly been sexually assaulted several months ago by an older male relative who had been staying at her home for a short period. Officers said the assaults went unreported and the pregnancy remained undisclosed until the delivery at the engagement ceremony.

The accused has been booked under sections of the BNS, including rape, and under the POCSO Act, which provides stringent punishment for sexual offences against children.

Investigation and support for the survivor

“The minor is receiving medical care and counselling. Her statement will be recorded before a magistrate under Section of the Criminal Procedure Code as required by the POCSO Act,” said a senior officer of Bapunagar police station.

A team from the city’s crime branch has been roped in to locate the accused, who is a resident of Sihori in Banaskantha district. “We are following leads and expect to make an arrest shortly,” the officer added.

Child welfare officials and counsellors from the district child protection unit have been called in to assist the survivor and her family.