Indore: Minor delivers baby in hospital, police booked 'husband' under ‘Love Jihad’, POCSO Act

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): City police booked a 21-year-old boy on Monday late in the case of a minor girl who delivered a baby in Government PC Sethi Hospital, a couple of days ago.

The boy, who is claiming to be her husband, was booked under seven sections of Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act , two sections of Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, and under section 363, 366, and 376 (2)(n) of IPC.

Police had learned about the incident from the hospital as well as from the member of Children Welfare Committee (CWC) and registered the case against the boy who belonged to another religion.

The action was taken on the basis of the counseling report of the Children Welfare Committee in which it was mentioned that the age of the girl is 17 years and 10 months. She delivered a premature baby in PC Sethi Hospital on February 17.

The committee had also mentioned in the letter that prima facie, the case is of love jihad, POCSO Act, and child marriage.

One of the CWC members said, “During investigation, the team found that the girl is minor and a 21-year-old man of another religion was claimed to be her husband. Family members of the girl fled from the scene after which police deployed a lady cop for her protection.