HC orders termination of pregnancy of minor girl

The Madras High Court today directed the medical authorities to go for termination of pregnancy of a minor girl, who was repeatedly raped by a person close to the family of her.
Justice T S Sivagnanam directed Government RSRM Hospital here to conduct abortion on the 16-year-old-girl.
On a petition filed by the mother of the girl to punish two deans of two government hospitals for their delay in conducting the abortion, the judge in his order made it clear that he would not allow further delay in the matter and directed the authorities of the hospital to do the abortion on the girl by D&C procedure.

The girl studying in Class 10 was raped by a close friend of the family for several times. She was taken to Government Stanley Hospital on February 27 after she complained of stomach pain.
She was kept there till March 3, before being suddenly shifted to RSRM Hospital. The mother was informed that the girl was pregnant. Since the girl had to appear for examination and also in order to avoid further pregnancy related complications and being noticed by neighbours, the mother pleaded for early termination of pregnancy.
After the mother made a police complaint, police gave requisition to dean of RSRM Hospital to subject the girl for forensic investigation and it was also not done.

Abortion too was not done despite pleas by the mother and NGO volunteers.

"The dean is insensitive, arrogant, rude and dismissive of our requests/pleas," counsel for the mother submitted.
The counsel submitted that the dean told the girl's mother that she waiting for court orders for doing medical termination of pregnancy.
The counsel for the mother sought appropriate compensation for the girl for the loss of an academic year and mental agony caused to her, besides appropriate proceedings against the deans of the two government hospitals.
In a similar incident, the Court had on March 17 directed a government Hospital to consider a representation made by the father of a minor girl, who was allegedly raped, to terminate her pregnancy as per procedure under Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.