13-year-old raped by elderly man delivers child at Mumbai hospital

A 13-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by a 73-year-old man nine months ago, delivered a child at Nair hospital in Mumbai Central some days ago. The accused senior citizen has fled to the US, police sources said.

Belonging to a poor family, the victim, whose father passed away a few years ago, lives with her mother and three elder brothers in Thane. One of her brothers works as a driver.

Breach of trust
According to the police, the girl's mother used to work as a domestic help at several houses, including the accused's in Vasai. "As her sons would go to work, she used to take her daughter with her.

"Since April, she had started leaving the girl at the accused's house, as she trusted him completely, and go to the other residences to finish her work," said an officer from the Agripada police station.

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The officer added that in the period between April and May last year, the accused who lives with his wife, took advantage of the opportunity, and when his wife was not home, raped the minor. He also threatened the girl so much that she didn't tell anyone about it for four months.

It came to light in August, when her brother insisted that she come with him for some shopping and she refused, saying she had a stomachache. She later started vomiting and was taken to hospital, where doctors told the family that she was four months pregnant, the police said.

Accused's escape
When her shocked family asked her about it, she narrated the ordeal to them. They then confronted the accused and requested him to accept the child. He, however, refused to and offered them money. When the family refused to take it, he got angry and threw them out of the house. After a few days, the family approached the Vasai police and lodged a complaint.

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But before the police could arrest him, the accused fled to America, another officer said. He has been booked under section 376(2)(f) (being a relative, guardian or teacher of, or a person in a position of trust or authority towards the woman, commits rape on such woman) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 8 (punishment for sexual assault) and 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The police are trying to trace his exact location and may use diplomatic channels to bring him back. The family of the girl has decided to leave the newborn in an orphanage.