A 42-year-old autorickshaw driver has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing his teenage daughter, who was delivered of a baby girl at Vani Vilas Hospital here on Thursday.
The alleged abuse by the father came to light only after the girl, who gave birth to the baby, told her mother about the repeated abuse by the father.
The 16-year-old is a first-year pre-university student in a private college in the city.
While the Bytarayanapura police arrested the father, based on the teenager’s complaint, the mother refused to confirm or deny the alleged sexual abuse by her husband.
Mother unaware
Speaking to reporters, the girl’s mother said: “I was unaware that she was pregnant. Over the last three months, she had been constantly complaining of stomach ache. However, when we took her to a few hospitals, including ESI hospital, the doctors told us that it was due to gastric problems and prescribed some medicines.”
On Wednesday night, the girl was rushed to the hospital after she complained of severe pain. The doctors then told her mother that she was in labour.
The mother said that pregnancy did not show since her daughter was hefty. “She told us that her father had been abusing her,” she added.
According to the mother, a garment factory worker, the minor (youngest of three children) had even attended college on Wednesday.
While her elder sister is married, her brother is a daily wage labourer.
The Byatrayanapura police registered a case of rape under section 376 of IPC and arrested the father on Thursday after the girl stated in the complaint that her father had been sexually abusing her. However, he denied the allegation, the police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) C. Rajappa said that they were questioning the father.
Meanwhile, doctors at the Vani Vilas Hospital said that the girl was doing well after the delivery.