Abducted from the city around 11 months ago, a 12-year-old girl died days after giving birth. Following a complaint by her parents, police arrested a man for abduction, rape and culpable homicide.

According to the information, the accused, a 24-year-old native of Bihar and extended relative, had abducted the girl on September 13, 2023. She was not traced until her death.

The girl’s father told the police that the accused, his son-in-law’s brother, took his daughter with him on the pretext of marriage and a complaint was filed with the police but his daughter could not be traced.

He added that the accused raped his daughter and impregnated her. On August 30, the man was bringing his daughter to Ludhiana by train when she developed labour pain, and was rushed to a hospital. The next day, she gave birth to a boy.

The accused on September 1 took the 12-year-old her and newborn to his sister’s house in Ludhiana, where she died three days later. He alleged that the accused murdered his daughter and a probe to ascertain the cause of death is underway.

Sadar police station house officer inspector Harshveer Singh said the initial probe found that the minor gave birth to a baby at a very young age and her health deteriorated soon after. She was not taken care of, which resulted in her death. The minor girl’s autopsy was conducted but the doctors are awaiting the viscera report and chemical examination report to ascertain the cause of death.

A case under sections 363A (kidnapping or maiming a minor for purpose of begging), 366 (kidnapping, abduction or inducing woman to compel her marriage), 376 (Rape), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC and section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered.