In a shocking incident, a 14-year-old rape survivor delivered a baby boy at Wangdue Hospital on August 25. The victim, whose identity is being protected, underwent a normal delivery, and reports indicate that both the minor and the newborn are in stable conditions.
According to a local report, the revelation came to light after a teacher at the victim's school, where she was pursuing her studies, reported the incident to Punakha police. The teacher was made aware of the situation due to the victim's pregnancy, which had been kept hidden until then.
Sources familiar with the case informed the local paper that the victim was sexually assaulted by her first cousin the previous year. It is suspected that the assault took place while the suspect was under the influence of alcohol. Shockingly, the victim had been threatened not to disclose the incident to anyone.
Further investigations unveiled a familial connection between the victim and the alleged perpetrator. The suspect's mother is reportedly the elder sister of the victim's mother, the report added.
The victim was a sixth-grade student at a school in Punakha. As for the suspect, he is identified as a farmer who also engaged in daily wage labor. Following an arrest at a construction site in Khuruthang town, the suspect is presently in police custody. Notably, both the victim and the suspect hail from the same village.
While public interest in the case grows, the police have refrained from providing any comments, citing ongoing investigations as the reason for their silence. The authorities are working diligently to uncover the full scope of the incident and bring justice to the victim.
