A 16-year-old student from a residential girls’ school in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district delivered a baby in the washroom of a diagnostic centre shortly after appearing for her exam.
According to police and local media reports, the student is a first-year intermediate student. The incident took place on 2 March.
After finishing her examination, the teenager complained of severe abdominal pain.
Her mother then took her to a private hospital for a check-up.
From Hospital Visit To Emergency Delivery
Doctors at the private hospital advised the family to get a medical scan done at a nearby diagnostic centre.
While waiting for the scan, the teenager went to the washroom.
That is where she delivered the baby.
Staff members later discovered the newborn inside the restroom and alerted the police.
What Happened After The Baby Was Found
Authorities said the girl and the newborn were immediately shifted to a government hospital.
Doctors confirmed that both the teenager and the baby were stable and under medical care.
Initial reports also stated that the teenager and her mother allegedly placed the newborn in a dustbin inside the washroom before staff noticed the baby.
Police are verifying these details as part of the investigation.
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Why Cases Involving Minors Trigger A POCSO Investigation
In India, any sexual activity involving a person below 18 is treated as a criminal offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Because the student in the Telangana case is 16, the police are required to investigate how the pregnancy occurred.
Under the law, authorities must determine whether a sexual offence involving a minor took place and identify the individual responsible.
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Teen Pregnancy In India
According to the latest available national data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted between 2019 and 2021, 6.8% of women aged 15–19 in India were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey.
Early pregnancies among adolescents raise medical and legal concerns because teenagers may not recognise pregnancy symptoms or seek medical care early.
