Wrongly declared pregnant, minor grilled by CG cops overnight

Raipur: In an incident raising public concern over the high-handedness and overreach of law enforcers, a 14-year-old girl from Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district was subjected to overnight questioning and harassment at a police station after a preliminary medical test incorrectly declared her pregnant.Amid outrage over the incorrect medical determination of pregnancy, the incident, reported from Somni police station limits, led to the suspension of the station house officer and a woman constable, while action was also initiated against health department staff involved in examining her.According to her family, the minor was taken to Somni community health centre on May 25 after complaining of severe stomach pain linked to menstruation. A pregnancy test allegedly conducted at the hospital came back ‘positive’, following which a medico-legal memo was sent to the police, raising suspicion of a possible POCSO offence.Thereafter, the police took over and began questioning the girl and her parents.The family alleged that Somni police brought the girl to the police station and kept her there for questioning overnight. She was repeatedly questioned about “who was responsible” for the pregnancy despite her denying any such incident, the kin alleged.According to police sources, officers initially asked the family to return the next day for FIR-related formalities.

However, police personnel feared that the minor might be administered abortion pills or taken away elsewhere, prompting them to bring her back for questioning.However, things took a curious turn after subsequent sonography and urine tests conducted in Rajnandgaon reportedly returned ‘negative’ results, confirming that the girl was not pregnant.Sources said four separate tests thereafter came ‘negative’, exposing lapses in the initial medical examination conducted at Somni.The incident took on political overtones after the family, along with local Congress workers, approached district authorities on Friday alleging misconduct by both police and health officials. Congress city president Jitendra Mudaliyar accused the police of violating Supreme Court guidelines relating to the treatment of minors, terming the incident ‘inhuman’.“A minor girl and her family were treated like criminals based on an unverified report,” Mudaliyar said, demanding strict action against those responsible.Rajnandgaon SP Ankita Sharma suspended Somni police station SHO Arun Namdev and constable Rajshree Singh after the matter became public.Speaking to TOI, SP Sharma said, “The moment the matter came to our notice, both officials were suspended immediately and an inquiry was ordered. Further departmental inquiry will be initiated based on the findings. I have personally spoken to the girl’s father and grandmother and they are satisfied with the action taken. I will also ensure that proper counselling through a clinical psychologist is arranged for the minor.

”The health department, too, initiated action as medical officer Maunya Sahu was removed from Somni community health centre and attached elsewhere, while the lab technician involved in the medical tests also faced action.