Both victim, baby are safe now: Police

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

NAMAKKAL: Police on Wednesday arrested a 70-year-old man for rape after a Class XI student delivered a girl at Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital on Monday. The victim had developed labour pain while writing her board examination at a government higher secondary school near Namagiripettai in Namakkal district on Monday. According to doctors, she was eight months pregnant. According to police, the girl’s father died five years ago and her mother is a construction worker. The girl has an elder sister who lives with her husband in another district.On Monday morning the girl had gone to school to write her exam. “Around 11.30am, she developed stomach pain,” the officer said. After obtaining permission from the invigilator, the girl went to the restroom. When she did not return even after 30 minutes, the invigilator went to the restroom and was shocked to see the girl lying on the floor bleeding severely.She immediately alerted the headmistress who contacted doctors at the local primary health centre. They took the girl to the PHC and later referred her to the hospital. “The girl delivered a baby girl through C-section and both were safe,” the officer added.Meanwhile, the girl’s mother lodged a complaint with the Namagiripettai police. Inquiries revealed that K Veeran, a neighbour of the girl, had raped her on several occasions. “The accused cheated the victim saying he would marry her,” the officer added.Based on his confession statement, police arrested Veeran and lodged him in the Salem central prison under judicial custody.