IANS

Chandigarh, Jul 18: The Punjab and Haryana High Court Friday asked the union territory (UT) administration here to get the pregnancy of a 19-year-old mentally challenged rape victim terminated medically.

A high court bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice A.G. Masih ordered the Chandigarh administration "to act promptly and forthwith medically terminate the pregnancy" of the victim.

The bench felt that the victim was not in a position to raise the child and it would be best to medically terminate the 18-week pregnancy.

The high court had earlier set up an expert committee to look into the matter but the committee could not decide on the issue.

The victim was allegedly raped by a male attendant at the government-run Nari Niketan in Sector 26 here. The matter came to light May this year after the victim developed complications.

Doctors at a government hospital here revealed that she was eight weeks pregnant at that time.

A few human rights activists had pleaded before the court that the victim be allowed to give birth to the child.

The victim is being kept by local authorities at 'Ashreya', a home for destitutes.