10-year-old Indian rape victim was impregnated by second uncle, DNA tests show

DNA test proves who the baby's father was

One child under 16 is raped every 155 minutes in India (iStock)

A 10-year-old rape victim who gave birth to her own child, was sexually assaulted by two of her uncles, police said.

The case made international headlines earlier this year when her parents petitioned a court in the Indian city of Chandigarh for her to be allowed to have an abortion.

After he case reached India's Supreme Court in July, judges rejected the family's plea based on the opinions of eight doctors and an examination of the girl.

The court ruled her pregnancy was too advanced as she was reportedly 35-weeks pregnant at the time. Judges also ruled that she was too young to survive an abortion.

Abortions are legal up to 20 weeks in India after which people have petition a court for permission which can be granted in special circumstances.

The baby was born by Caesarean section in August, but the girl was not told she was pregnant. Instead her parents said she had a stone in her stomach which she needed an operation to remove.

The girl’s parents first took her to the doctor earlier this year when they were concerned that she was gaining weight. It was later determined she was pregnant.

The child eventually revealed in a counselling session that she had been raped by one of her uncles. US broadcaster CNN reported that he later confessed to the crime.

But when the baby’s DNA was tested, it was revealed that he was not the biological father. Police reopened the investigation as a result.

The second uncle was arrested on 19 September, following another revelation from the girl in a counselling session.

Subsequent DNA testing reportedly proved a match between the baby and the second uncle.

Neelambari Jagadale, the senior superintendent of Chandigarh police, said they were now “working on completing the charge sheets for the second accused”.

Both alleged rapists cannot be named for legal reasons and are currently being held in police custody.

The case was one of several child sexual abuse cases to reach the Indian courts this year.

In May a high court in Haryana state granted a 10-year-old girl an abortion at 21 weeks gestation after she was allegedly raped by her stepfather.

According to Unicef, a child under 16 is raped every 155 minutes in India – but for children under 10 it is once every 13 hours.