Pithampur, February 25 – In a shocking and distressing incident that has sparked widespread concern, a minor student in Class 10 gave birth in the washroom of an examination centre while writing her board exams in Pithampur, an industrial area in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
The incident occurred on Tuesday within the jurisdiction of the Sector-1 police station, at a private school that served as an examination centre for the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education exams.
The girl, who was taking her mathematics exam, suddenly complained of severe abdominal pain midway through the test.
With the invigilator's permission, she went to the restroom. There, she unexpectedly went into labour and gave birth to a baby boy.
When she did not appear after several minutes, concerned invigilators and staff approached the locked toilet door upon hearing the baby's cries.
The examination centre management promptly alerted the 108 emergency ambulance service.
The student and her baby were rushed to the Community Health Centre in Pithampur for immediate medical care.
Doctors confirmed that both the mother and the newborn are stable and in good health, and are currently under observation.
The girl was brought to the facility around 5 p.m. with the child, and medical staff described their condition as normal.
The incident caused panic among students and staff at the centre. Police registered a case on a zero FIR at the Pithampur police station and transferred it to the Betma police jurisdiction in Indore district, as the girl resides in Betma and was only at the Pithampur centre to take the exam.
Speaking to IANS, Vijay Dabur, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Dhar, confirmed the incident and said she was an examinee at the centre on Tuesday.
A Zero FIR has been lodged and forwarded to the Betma police station area as she belonged to the town in Indore police jurisdiction.
During interrogation, the victim disclosed that she had been in contact with a young man for the past two years.
The accused has been identified, and police stated they are working to apprehend him soon.
Legal proceedings will follow under relevant sections, including provisions for the protection of minors, with a thorough investigation into all aspects of the case.