Class 9 Student Delivers Baby in School Toilet in Karnataka; 28-Year-Old Man Arrested
Class 9 Student Delivers Baby in School Toilet in Karnataka; 28-Year-Old Man Arrested
In a deeply disturbing incident from Shahapur taluk in Karnataka, a 17-year-old Class 9 student at a government-run residential school delivered a baby inside the school’s toilet during school hours. The shocking event has triggered a major police investigation and widespread outrage over the failure of school authorities to recognize signs of pregnancy and provide timely intervention.
The minor, who resides in the school’s hostel, reportedly went into labor earlier this week while attending classes. Her classmates, alarmed by her condition, immediately informed the school staff. The girl later told officials she had experienced “severe abdominal pain” while in the washroom and unexpectedly gave birth there.
Both the student and her newborn were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they are currently said to be in stable condition.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the girl was 17 years and seven months old at the time of delivery. She was found to be full-term pregnant and is believed to have been “sexually assaulted approximately nine months ago” by an unidentified person. Initially hesitant and under immense emotional stress, the girl did not reveal many details about the incident or the identity of the perpetrator.
Following a detailed police investigation, a 28-year-old man was identified and taken into custody. A senior police officer stated that the girl would undergo counseling once she is medically stable to help determine whether she knew the accused and the exact circumstances of the assault.
In a related development, the District Child Protection Officer filed a formal complaint, based on which a case has been registered under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Authorities have also booked four additional individuals—the school principal, the hostel warden, the staff nurse, and the victim’s brother—for “failing to notify authorities” about the girl’s pregnancy. Despite being informed shortly after the birth, none of them reported the matter to the police or child protection officials in time.
The Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) has since suspended four school staff members, including the principal and hostel warden, for their negligence and dereliction of duty. The hostel warden claimed she was unaware of the girl’s pregnancy, while the principal insisted that there were “no visible symptoms” and that the girl’s “marital status was also not known.”
Police also noted that the student had been frequently absent from school since the beginning of the academic year—a detail that, in hindsight, raised further concerns about the lack of proper supervision and care in the residential school setup.
