Minor raped, impregnated by school headmaster in Kishtwar, dies after stillbirth

In Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, a government school headmaster is accused of raping a minor tribal girl over several months, resulting in her pregnancy. Her death occurred after a failed abortion attempt and subsequent stillbirth, as reported on Thursday night.

Following her demise, protests erupted in her village and expanded to other parts of the district on Friday morning. According to protesters, the girl was seven months pregnant when she passed away en route to Jammu for medical treatment.

The accused headmaster and his brother were arrested, with the headmaster subsequently suspended by the education department. Kishtwar SSP Naresh Singh stated that an FIR has been filed under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation is underway.

A local tribal leader from the girl's village confirmed that the headmaster had been raping her for months, and he threatened her parents into silencing them. The girl's father did not report the incident to the police, fearing the social stigma it would bring upon his family.

The headmaster and his brother took the girl to Kishtwar for an abortion, accompanied by the girl's father and uncle. After the procedure, the girl's condition worsened, leading to her stillbirth. They decided to transport her and the stillborn to Jammu, where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries near Udhampur on Thursday night.

The accused were arrested under several sections of the BNS, including conspiracy, rape of a minor female, causing death by causing miscarriage, and causing death of an unborn child. They have also been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.