Pune:Harmony Foundation, a Mumbai-based NGO, has called for strict action against erring doctors who did not report to police, as required by law, about 34 cases of minor mothers, who were admitted for deliveries in hospitals in Solapur, Pune and Kolhapur cities in Maharashtra.
Dr. Abraham Mathai, Founder-Chairman of the Harmony Foundation and also the former Vice Chairman of Maharashtra State Commission for Minorities, said that the failure of medical officers to report these cases to the police, despite legal requirements, is a serious crime that enables child marriage to continue.
Speaking about the investigation initiated by M. Rajkumar, police commissioner of Solapur, Dr. Mathai noted that a complaint was filed by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Social Organization, an NGO based in Solapur, against those concealing information about minor mothers.
Police investigation revealed that child marriages took place in Solapur where minor girls became pregnant at a young age. Records from the Solapur Municipal Corporation and private hospitals indicate 85 cases of minor mothers over the past two years.
“This is deeply disturbing in both urban and rural areas. Minor girls were married and later admitted to hospitals during pregnancy. But instead of reporting these crimes, some medical officials chose to remain silent,” Dr. Mathai said.
The medical fraternity’s job is to provide medical relief and healthcare to those in need, but unfortunately some have turned it into a business industry, he added.
“When doctors prioritize profit over protecting a minor child, they betray the very essence of their profession,” Dr Mathai noted.
Child marriages are illegal in India and marrying off minor girls is a punishable offense, he said. The POCSO Act clearly requires medical professionals to report cases involving minors. When doctors fail to do so, they become complicit in the crime, he pointed out.
Dr. Mathai praised Solapur police commissioner Rajkumar for his swift and decisive actions in uncovering the truth. He also commended Maharashtra director general of police Sadanand Date, under whose able leadership such a remarkable investigation has been made possible.
FIRs have been registered against husbands, relatives, and doctors under the POCSO Act. He urged that investigations should continue thoroughly and that no one involved in concealing these cases is spared.
“These minor girls are victims. They need protection, rehabilitation, and justice. The doctors who hid their suffering must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Dr Mathai said.
He urged the Maharashtra government to conduct a statewide audit of hospital records to identify more such hidden cases. He also appealed to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to intervene and ensure that all minor mothers receive proper care and legal support.
“No teenager should become a mother. And no doctor should shy away from reporting it to the police when a minor does. The conscience of civil society will be judged by how we protect our youngest and most vulnerable youngsters,” Dr. Mathai said.
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