Miscarriage uncovers repeated rape of 11-year-old

Palanpur: A horrifying case of repeated sexual abuse of a minor girl surfaced in Patan district after she suffered a miscarriage of a 16-week fetus.According to officials, the girl was allegedly raped multiple times by a man who was close to their family and frequently visited their home in a village of Radhanpur taluka.The girl was admitted to GMERS Medical College and Hospital, Dharpur on March 28 night after she complained of acute abdominal pain. "She suffered a miscarriage on March 29," a senior official said.The girl has five siblings and their mother worked as a labourer in the field. "The accused, who is a major, often visited their house and allegedly raped her whenever her mother was away at work," an official told TOI.He lives and works in the field adjacent to the one where the victim lived with her mother and siblings."The girl did not reveal anything until March 28 when she was admitted and suffered a miscarriage. She was pregnant for 16 weeks," the official added.Eventually, she broke down and told her mother about the repeated sexual assaults by the man. Meanwhile, the hospital also informed the police following which her mother lodged the complaint naming the man.The girl is out of danger and she is expected to be discharged in a few days, the official added. "Her mother stated in the complaint that she is 10 years old, but we are conducting a medical examination to confirm her age. The family is from a very poor background and they don't have govt documents to confirm her age," the official said.The police have booked the accused under relevant sections of the Pocso Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.