Hubballi-Dharwad police probe sexual abuse of two pregnant minor cousins

The Hubballi-Dharwad police have launched a comprehensive investigation under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after two minor cousins from the same family were sexually assaulted and became pregnant. The investigation in Hubballi-Dharwad was initiated on Friday following a complaint filed on Thursday by the Dharwad District Child Protection Unit.

The investigation unfolded after a 15-year-old girl conceived for the second time within a year of giving birth to her first child. According to the complaint, the accused, identified as Karim, forcefully took the girl to an abandoned area near a railway station and sexually assaulted her multiple times between July and August 2025.

The girl received medical treatment from a village practitioner and a private hospital, eventually delivering a baby. The Dharwad District Child Protection Unit alleged that the girl’s parents subsequently gave the newborn away. While the parents claimed the infant was sent to a relative in Karwar for treatment, District Child Protection Officer Prakash Kodliwad stated that authorities suspect the child was sold or trafficked.

In May 2026, the minor was allegedly assaulted again by Karim, resulting in her second pregnancy. The police have registered a case naming Karim, the survivor's parents, the village doctor, and the doctors at the private hospital for failing to report the sexual abuse of a minor.

The case is linked to another incident involving the survivor's 14-and-a-half-year-old cousin. On July 8, the cousin delivered a baby at her residence and was rushed to the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute due to severe postpartum bleeding. Investigations revealed she had been abducted and repeatedly assaulted a year prior, with her parents allegedly hiding the pregnancy. A POCSO case was registered on July 11.

Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar confirmed that both survivors are from the same family and are currently recovering. Police have sent teams to Karwar to verify the safety and location of the 15-year-old's first child.