Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 30: Police have identified a 16-year-old college student as the mother of the newborn found abandoned in a toilet bin at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (T2) last Tuesday. The girl and her mother, who were scheduled to fly to Ranchi, claim the incident was a miscarriage.

Authorities are investigating whether the baby was delivered alive, stillborn, or if it was a foetus. A post-mortem examination is pending, according to the Sahar police.

Given the girl's minor status, a rape case has been filed against her boyfriend under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Airport CCTV footage revealed the girl and her mother arriving at the airport over two hours before their flight. The girl reported experiencing labor pains at the airport, attributing it to a fall she had suffered days prior. "The footage shows her pacing anxiously before entering the toilet with her mother. She claims a miscarriage occurred there, and her mother admitted to helping her dispose of the 'foetus' in the bin," a police officer stated. The pair then changed clothes and proceeded to their flight.

The mother acknowledged knowing her daughter was seven months pregnant, explaining their decision to fly rather than take a train to Ranchi for a family event. They claimed the girl’s condition worsened due to the earlier fall.

The girl asserts her condition is now stable, but a medical examination will be conducted. After recording their statements, the girl and her mother were issued a notice and allowed to leave.