The teenager, from the Mavilan Scheduled Tribe, was reportedly in a relationship with a classmate and distant relative. Despite being over four months pregnant, no case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Published May 11, 2025 | 7:19 PM ⚊ Updated May 11, 2025 | 7:19 PM
A post-mortem examination confirmed that she was 18 weeks pregnant.
Synopsis: A 16-year-old girl from Kerala’s Kasaragod district died from complications during pregnancy, with police yet to register a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The teenager, from the Mavilan Scheduled Tribe, was reportedly in a relationship with a classmate and distant relative, and died while being taken to hospital after initially being misdiagnosed.
A 16-year-old girl from Parappa in Kerala’s Kasaragod district has died after suffering severe bleeding during pregnancy.
Despite being over four months pregnant, no case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The girl, a Class XI student from the Mavilan Scheduled Tribe, initially sought treatment for stomach pain and was diagnosed with a urinary infection at two local hospitals.
Her condition deteriorated on 9 May, prompting her family to rush her to multiple medical facilities, including Aishal Medicity in Kanhangad and Unity Hospital in Mangaluru.
She died in the early hours of Saturday, 10 May while being taken to Father Muller Hospital.
A post-mortem examination confirmed that she was 18 weeks pregnant.
Staff at Karunya Hospital told South First that the girl appeared stable when she arrived and complained only of abdominal pain.
“She requested a glucose drip due to tiredness. We administered a paracetamol injection and a pantoprazole injection. She left the hospital on foot with her mother. There was no bleeding at the time of her visit. Her condition might have worsened later,” hospital staff said.
When contacted by South First, Vellarikundu Station House Officer TK Mukundan said the pregnancy was reportedly linked to her 16-year-old classmate, who is also a distant relative from the same tribal community.
“Only an unnatural death has been registered,” Mukundan said.
Asked why the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act had not been invoked, he reiterated: “Only an unnatural death has been registered. Whether to register a POCSO case or not will be decided only after receiving the detailed medical report.”
He noted that the couple’s age and their familial relationship added complexity to the investigation.
Social worker and former Parappa Grama Panchayat member V Balakrishnan told South First that the girl was initially admitted to Karunya Private Hospital in Parappa and later discharged. Her condition reportedly worsened at home.
“There are unconfirmed reports that the girl and the boy may have tried some natural method to induce abortion, which may have gone wrong. But this needs to be confirmed by the police,” Balakrishnan said.
The girl came from a poor family and was said to be academically strong.
She often visited a relative’s house, where she is believed to have formed a romantic relationship with her cousin, allegedly leading to the pregnancy.
Police are examining whether the girl was given any substances to induce a miscarriage and whether hospitals responded appropriately to her condition.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
