Shocking !!! 242 abortions in 3 months, 9 people held, 2 on run 

By: Pune Pulse

November 29, 2023

The Byappanahalli police have apprehended nine individuals in connection with illegal sex determination and female foeticide cases. The accused have carried out 242 unlawful abortions over three months.

As per the information provided, the case has been under investigation for the past 45 days. The incident came to light on October 15 when the Byappanahalli police noticed a car exhibiting suspicious behaviour during a routine vehicle check. The suspects attempted to flee but were ultimately apprehended by the police. Upon questioning the suspects, the illegal operation was uncovered. Among the individuals apprehended, were two medical professionals, three laboratory technicians, two intermediaries, one hospital manager, and a receptionist. The commissioner has stated that the authorities are still in pursuit of two additional intermediaries.

As per the information received, the accused individuals are from Mysuru and Mandya. In Udayagiri, Mysuru, the two doctors own hospitals. One specializes in paediatrics, while the other practices Ayurvedic medicine. The latter’s wife, who served as the hospital’s manager, is also implicated in the case. The accused were involved in conducting sex determination and performing abortions at the hospitals as well as at a jaggery production unit in Mandya.

Authorities have confiscated two ultrasound scanning machines from the accused. Two individuals from Honnali, who were employed as agents, have been identified as the ones responsible for supplying the scanning machines. Additionally, these two individuals were implicated in a kidnapping incident. It has come to light that they meticulously documented a total of 242 unlawful abortions of female fetuses within the past three months. Their fee for each abortion ranged from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000, while they charged Rs 5,000 for sex determination procedures.

The commissioner stated that registered doctors must receive permission from the District Health Officer (DHO) or relevant officials before being granted access to ultrasound scanning machines. However, there have been clear violations of these guidelines. The authorities are currently investigating whether any bureaucrats were involved in granting permission to the accused individuals to use the machines. All of the accused parties are currently in police custody and are undergoing interrogation. It has been reported that the arrested doctors were involved in determining the sex of over 2,000 fetuses and performing approximately 900 abortions over a period of more than three years.