J&K HC orders medical termination of rape victim’s pregnancy

Jammu, Aug 8 (IANS) In a landmark judgement, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered the termination of a rape victim’s pregnancy.

The 17-year old rape victim needed the high court’s assent since the law permits medical termination of pregnancy of only 20 weeks, while the rape victim had been pregnant for 26 weeks.

Justice Javed Iqbal Wani directed the authorities of the government medical college of Jammu and the city’s S.M.G.S. Hospital to undertake a fresh examination of the victim by a board of doctors including a psychiatrist to take a final call regarding the medical termination of the victim’s pregnancy.

The court also directed that should the board of doctors decide to go in for the medical termination of the victim’s pregnancy, necessary measures should be taken to preserve the DNA of the aborted fetus as future evidence.

The court ordered that the victim be provided free medical assistance and the facility in the event of termination of her pregnancy.

After receiving the report of the board of doctors, the high court ordered medical termination of the victim’s pregnancy which was carried out at the S.M.G.S. Hospital in Jammu city.

The girl had alleged that the accused identified as Ashok Kumar had raped her on December 12 last year in J&K’s Doda district. The accused is in police custody.

–IANS

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