Harmony Foundation Urges Govt to Book Doctors Failing to Report 34 Cases of Minor Mothers in Maharashtra
Pune:Harmony Foundation, a Mumbai-based NGO, has called for strict action against erring doctors who failed to report to the police, as required by law, about 34 cases of minor mothers admitted for delivery in hospitals in Solapur, Pune and Kolhapur cities of Maharashtra.
Founder Chairman of Harmony Foundation and former Vice Chairman of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission, Dr. Abraham Mathai said the failure of health officials to report these cases to the police, despite legal requirements, was a serious crime that allowed child marriage to continue.
Speaking about the investigation initiated by Solapur police commissioner M. Rajkumar, Dr. Mathai noted that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Social Organization, a Solapur-based NGO, has filed a complaint against those who conceal information about underage mothers.
Police investigation revealed that child marriages were taking place in Solapur, where minor girls became pregnant at a young age. Records from Solapur Municipal Corporation and private hospitals show 85 cases of underage mothers in the last two years.
Dr. “This is extremely disturbing in both urban and rural areas. Little girls were being married off and then admitted to hospitals during pregnancy. But some health officials chose to remain silent rather than reporting these crimes,” Mathai said.
He added that the duty of the medical community is to provide medical aid and healthcare to those in need, but unfortunately some have turned this into a commercial industry.
“When doctors prioritize profit over protecting a young child, they betray the very essence of their profession,” Dr Mathai said.
He said child marriages are illegal in India and marrying underage girls is a criminal offence. The POCSO Act clearly requires medical professionals to report cases involving minors. When doctors fail to do this, they become complicit, he noted.
Dr. Mathai praised Solapur police commissioner Rajkumar for his quick and decisive action in uncovering the truth. He also praised Maharashtra director general of police Sadanand Date, under whose able leadership such a remarkable investigation was made possible.
FIRs under the POCSO Act are registered against husbands, relatives and doctors. He said investigations must continue thoroughly and anyone involved in the concealment of these cases should not be spared.
“These underage girls are victims. They need protection, rehabilitation and justice. Doctors who hide their suffering should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Dr Mathai said. he said.
He urged the Maharashtra government to audit hospital records across the state to detect such hidden cases. He also called on the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights to intervene and ensure that all underage mothers receive appropriate care and legal support.
“No teenager should become a mother. And no doctor should hesitate to report it to the police when a minor becomes a mother. The conscience of civil society will be judged by how we protect our youngest and most vulnerable youth,” said Dr Mathai. Mathai.
