Girl gives birth to step-father's child, only to see it sold off

Girl gives birth to step-father's child, only to see it sold off
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

FARIDKOT, JULY 13: A 15-year-old girl has reportedly given birth to her step-father's child after years of abuse at the Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital here recently. The father is said to have sold off the child -- a boy -- to an issueless couple with the help of a hospital doctor and a granthi .

Though the incident is well-known locally, few are willing to go on record about it. According to the hospital records, Kamal (not her real name) was admitted to the gynaecology department of the hospital on June 6 and gave birth to a male child on June 16. However, before she was discharged on June 26, the baby was reportedly sold off.

According to hospital sources, the girl's age was mentioned as 18 and she was stated to be married. ``But both entries were false'', they said.

Sources said the girl's nightmare began two years ago when her mother died, leaving Kamal and her sister in their step-father's care in Faridkot. The sexual abuse led to Kamal's pregnancy. Subsequently, the step-father and the granthi -- a neighbour for whom Kamal used to work -- approached a gynaecologist for an abortion.

According to the residents of Bazigar basti , where the family resides, it was the doctor who struck the deal for the sale of the unborn child if it turned out to be a male. The girl was reportedly made to undergo an ultrasound test, and when the foetus was confirmed to be male, she was confined to the house till her admission into hospital. Sources said all the expenses of Kamal's treatment were borne by the couple who adopted her child.

According to basti residents, Kamal's step-father has been abusing the two girls. ``A few months ago, he tried to rape Kamal's younger sister but some neighbours responded to her cries and saved her'', they said. ``Besides, he often used to thrash both of them in public.''