Daijiworld Media Network - Khargone

Khargone, Aug 9: In a harrowing incident, a man has been arrested for allegedly raping his 16-year-old daughter, resulting in her pregnancy and the abandonment of their newborn baby in the bushes. The shocking revelation came to light earlier this week when a day-old infant, covered in ant bites, was discovered in a village under the Maheshwar police station limits.

According to police reports, the infant received immediate first aid at a local hospital before being transferred to the district hospital. A case has been registered against an unidentified individual under Section 93 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita for the abandonment of a child under twelve years.

Superintendent of Police Dharamraj Meena stated that investigations revealed the baby's mother, a 16-year-old girl, had been raped by her father while they were working as laborers in Rajkot, Gujarat. The accused allegedly conducted the delivery at home and, upon finding her unconscious, abandoned the infant in the bushes before fleeing the scene.

On Friday, the police arrested the accused under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. DNA samples from the baby, the survivor, and the accused have been sent for testing. The infant, initially treated in Khargone, has been moved to MTH Hospital in Indore and is currently on ventilator support, as confirmed by Dr. Pawan Patidar, head of the special newborn care unit.