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A 17-year-old girl from Tiruttani of Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district died on the night of Wednesday, August 27, after allegedly being forced to undergo an illegal abortion. The girl, who was five months pregnant, was reportedly taken to a private clinic in Andhra Pradesh by her parents, where the procedure was carried out by a nurse.
According to reports, the girl, a first-year nursing student, went missing along with a 17-year-old boy from her neighbourhood earlier this month. Following this, her parents filed a police complaint on August 5.
The police traced the couple within two days and it came to light that the girl was pregnant. Her parents then allegedly arranged for an abortion at a clinic in Andhra Pradesh’s Pannur village.
The nurse, identified as Violet at the Raja Clinic, administered abortion pills to the teenager. The girl developed severe bleeding and was admitted to a private hospital before being shifted to the Tiruvallur Government Hospital. After a week of treatment, she died on Wednesday night.
The Tiruvallur police have arrested Violet for illegal medical practice, negligence, and violations under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. The girl’s male friend has also been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, while her parents are also being questioned. Further investigation is underway.
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, permits termination of a pregnancy that has not crossed 24 weeks. The Act mandates that consent of the pregnant woman must be obtained, even if she is a minor.