B'Luru Female Foeticide: Doctor Who Aborted 22-Week-Old Foetus Held

An illegally aborted 22-week-old female foetus was found in the dustbin of a Bengaluru private hospital on December 13. A team of State Health Department officials reported the incident to the police who sealed the SPG Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, and the owner-cum-head doctor, Srinivasa, was arrested on December 18. Police said that Srinivasa has performed at least eight illegal abortions since 2022, adding that the exact number could be much higher. 

According to reports, the Health Department received a tip-off on December 5 regarding illegal ultrasound machines in the hospital located in Thirumalashettyhalli in Bengaluru Rural district. Over a week later when they went to inspect the premises, they found a female foetus wrapped in a plastic cover in the dustbin. 

Doctor, Hospital Staff Arrested

According to Mallikarjun Baldandi, the Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru District, the police were on vigilance for Srinivasa who was absconding, and he was found and arrested five days later. Srinivasa has been taken into custody for 12 days and Health Department officials have confiscated his phone and gathered all hospital records for the investigation. Along with him, nurses Anita and Netra, hired house help Revati, and technician Radhika have also been booked.

All of them have been arrested and a case has been filed in this case under the Prohibition of Sex Selection Act, Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and sections 312 (causing miscarriage), 314 (death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage) and 315 (act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth) of the Indian Penal Code.

Rising Female Foeticide Issue

Around the end of last month, the Karnataka Police busted a major female foeticide ring that had conducted over 900 illegal abortions over three months. Almost nine persons, including doctors, nurses, hospital owners, and others from Bengaluru, other Karnataka districts, and Chennai were arrested for running the abortion racket for several months.

Since the SPG Hospital incident came to light, the Karnataka Government announced the introduction of a task force to tackle rising female foeticides in the State. The State Government has also mentioned that they are taking steps to amend concerned existing legislation and formulating new policies to address the grave issue.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told the Legislative Assembly on December 14 that the department officials have been directed to regularly conduct spot inspections. He also acknowledged the ineffective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. "If you look at civil registration data, last year it was 947 females for 1,000 men, this year it is 929. It has come down," Health Minister Rao told in the Assembly.