The baby delivered by the 14-year-old girl student of Class-VIII in Kandhamal district died at the MKCG Medical College Hospital in Brahmapur on Monday.
The minor girl and the newborn had initially been admitted to the Baliguda Sub-Divisional Hospital and later shifted to the MKCG Hospital after their conditions deteriorated on Sunday.
The girl had given birth to the baby in the bathroom of the hostel of a Government tribal residential school in Daringibadi of the district.Now, school Headmistress Radharani Dalai was suspended by the Kandhamal district Collector on Monday.
The district administration had on Sunday recommended to the State Government to initiate action against
the Headmistress. After the girl had given birth to the baby, the Headmistress had reportedly reached the hostel and driven the girl with the newborn out through the backdoor in an apparent bid to suppress the incident.
Earlier, as many as two matrons, one of the ANMs, two Cooks-cum-Attendants and a Warden were dismissed while three women Assistant Superintendents were suspended for dereliction of duty.
“The girl was raped eight months ago at her village. She couldn’t reveal it out of fear and shame. The main accused Sraban Pradhan (23) has been detained and is being interrogated,” Kandhamal SP Prateek Singh told mediapersons.
Singh said the girl got pregnant after she was allegedly raped by Pradhan when she had gone to her village during a school vacation.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the State Chief Secretary to submit an action-taken report on the incident within four weeks.Taking suo motto cognisance, the commission issued the notice and also asked the Government what steps have been taken for rehabilitation of the girl.
The BJP on Monday demanded SC and ST Welfare Minister Ramesh Majhi and Secretary R Raghu Prasad’s resignation over the issue.
Addressing a Press conference here, BJP ST Morcha president Rabi Nayak said the suspension of the school Superintendent and low-level officials is not enough. The Minister should resign and the Secretary be suspended for negligence in their duties.
Later, a BJP delegation led by Nayak met the Governor and apprised him about the incident and requested him to direct the Government to take stringent action against the accused.