Baby delivered by 14-yr-old residential school student dies, locals protest in Kandhamal

Kandhamal, Jan 14: A baby delivered by 14-year-old student of a state-run tribal residential school in Odisha's Kandhamal district died at a hospital where she was admitted along with her mother.

Locals protested after a minor girl gave birth to a child in the hostel of a residential school in Kandhamal.

Prateek Singh, SP said, "Preliminary inquiry revealed that 7-8 months ago when the victim went to her home, she was raped by a 23-year-old man in her village."

"On the basis of this information police immediately detained the accused. The administration has also taken immediate action against the school staff, said the police officer.

The girl, a student of Class 8 school run by the tribal and rural development department of Odisha, delivered the baby on Saturday night.

The minor girl and the newborn had earlier been admitted to the Baliguda sub-divisional hospital in Kandhamal after being rescued, Kandhamal District Welfare Officer Charulata Mallick told PTI.

Later on Sunday night, they were shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur where the newborn died, the hospital authorities said.

(With PTI inputs)