Minor Couple In Live-In Relationship Has Baby In Jharkhand

Minor Couple In Live-In Relationship Welcomes Baby In Jharkhand

Khunti:

A teenage girl aged 14, who has been in a live-in relationship with a 16-year-old boy, delivered a baby in Jharkhand's Khunti district. This incident has prompted local officials to strengthen campaigns against early marriage and teenage pregnancy, according to an official statement on Wednesday.

The young girl has been cohabiting with the boy under the tribal tradition known as 'Dhuku', with their parents' approval. She gave birth to a baby girl at Khunti's Sadar Hospital on Tuesday night, as confirmed by district Child Protection Officer Altaf Khan.

"We've been conducting awareness programs with NGOs and civil society organizations to address child marriage and labor issues. However, we plan to intensify these efforts across all 86 gram panchayats in Khunti," Khan explained to PTI.

He emphasized that community-level intervention is the only effective approach to prevent such incidents in villages.

"We believe that comprehensive awareness through educating communities about health risks, mental health issues, and educational consequences of early pregnancy will discourage younger generations from continuing these practices," Khan added.

According to officials, the 14-year-old from a village in Keora panchayat was initially admitted to the Community Health Centre in Murhu on Tuesday. She was accompanied by her mother and the 16-year-old boy who lives with her under the tribal 'Dhuku' tradition.

The health center subsequently referred her to Sadar Hospital, where she underwent a normal delivery despite being only seven months pregnant. The official confirmed that both mother and infant are doing well but will remain under medical observation.

"The family informed us that the girl had been living in a rented accommodation 14 kilometers from Murhu to continue her education as a ninth-grade student. During this period, she met the boy from a neighboring village at Murhu market. They developed a relationship, which resulted in her pregnancy," the official explained.

Reports indicate that the girl has discontinued her education, while the boy, who is fatherless, resides with his mother.