ETV Bharat Impact | Jharkhand Child Rights Body Seeks Report From All Districts On Minor Pregnancies

By Rajesh Kumar Singh

Ranchi: The Jharkhand State Child Protection Commission had demanded immediate action on the issue of unmarried girls getting pregnant in the Khunti district. ETV Bharat's investigative report on this issue has stirred widespread concern among child rights bodies and social activists, with suspicions of a deeper issue, child trafficking.

Ujjwal Pratap Tiwari, a member of the Child Protection Commission, confirmed that the matter is being taken very seriously. Talking to ETV Bharat, he said the Commission will write to the Deputy Commissioners of all 24 districts in Jharkhand, seeking a detailed report within seven days.

"We need to know if similar cases are happening in other districts. How are minor girls becoming mothers, and why was it not reported earlier?" Tiwari questioned. He also raised concerns about the role of the Khunti Civil Surgeon, asking why such a serious issue was not reported to the District Collector or the Commission. "This lack of communication is unacceptable," he added.

Social activist Monica Gunjan, founder of Palona Sanstha, which campaigns under the Child Protection Act against unsafe abandonment and killing of newborns, also reacted strongly to the report. She also lauded ETV Bharat for bringing the issue to light.

"Everyone knows about human trafficking, but what we are seeing now may be organised child trafficking," Gunjan said. Gunjan claimed to possess evidence of such illegal trade, revealing that male infants are sold for Rs 7-8 lakhs and female infants for Rs 5-6 lakhs. Despite informing the authorities earlier, she said no significant action was taken.

She urged authorities to explore all angles, including past controversies such as the Missionaries of Charity case in Ranchi.