Uttar Pradesh: Teen rape survivor oblivious to her condition, returns home

LUCKNOW: “ Pasli mai pehel darad lagat rahin, ab sab badhiya hai (It would pain near my ribs earlier, but now everything is good),” the 14-year-old rape survivor from Lakhimpur Kheri told TOI after reaching home to her small hut in village Saktu Purwa.
She was discharged from Lucknow’s Queen Mary’s Hospital (QMH) on Saturday after her pregnancy was medically terminated.
An uneducated dalit girl with no exposure to the world, the minor remains completely oblivious to what has befallen her-—right from the rape, to having the unwanted pregnancy, and its subsequent termination.She only experienced pain in her stomach which she believed was cured after a three-day hospital stay.
The accused, a relative of the girl, is in jail.
According to her lawyer Haider Rizvi, at their request, the gram pradhan has ordered for police protection for the girl’s family so that no one is able to pressure them or influence the case.
“The situation of the household is deplorable. Her mother—a widow—is broke and cut off from the world. We are trying to get her some compensation from the government. We have donated some ration and essentials to the family,” added Rizvi.
The girl was referred to QMH on Tuesday from the district women’s hospital in Lakhimpur Kheri after a medical board formed on order of the high court for the pregnancy termination found complications in her pregnancy.
Doctors at QMH said her age, weak health and duration of pregnancy made termination risky. After assessment, she was given oral medication and on Friday, the fetus was expelled by her body and handed over to the investigating officer as per court directive.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)