Now, he has taken the responsibility to raise the new-born baby delivered by his minor daughter, who was raped last year.

Waghela, a resident of Govindpur village in Dhari taluka of Amreli district, has stood by his 16-year-old daughter and has taken the responsibility of the kid born on Tuesday.

The rape accused, Lalji Patel, has been in judicial custody and Waghelas now wants to bury the past behind.

“What’s the fault of this little child? He has all the right to live happily in this world,” says Waghela who lost his wife five years ago.

“Both the mother and the child are innocent and it is our duty to protect them.”

Waghela, who brought the new-born baby to their small house in Govindpur village on Wednesday, has been preparing his three daughters to live amid shortage of resources and lack of support from the society.

He said, “With very little income, it’s difficult for me to support my three daughters. But if I do not accept the child, God will not forgive me.

I believe, we will have to work harder,” he said.

Waghela hopes her daughter, who has gone through physical pain and mental trauma at a tender age, will have happy times ahead.