Be it first or fourth, girl child victim of social prejudice: Probe
This was the harsh reality exposed by Ahmedabad rural police after they busted a
racket involving home-based sex determination and illegal abortions.
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In one case, a woman aborted her first pregnancy solely because it was a girl.
Another woman, a paramedic, chose to have an abortion when she was pregnant with her third daughter.
A 22-year-old woman, already a mother of four girls, terminated her fifth pregnancy after learning it was another girl.
"This case shows that all these abortions were driven by negative attitudes toward the girl child," said a senior officer of Ahmedabad rural police.
"Some of these women are professionals, others are housewives, but all acted under family pressure, especially from husbands and in-laws."
On May 27, police arrested nurse Hemlata Darji and radiologist Harshad Acharya, who allegedly carried out sex determination tests and abortions for Rs 15,000.
Police said Acharya performed tests at his Odhav clinic, while Darji carried out the abortions at homes or a Bavla guesthouse.
"These were not random acts but part of a planned service. The accused selected clients carefully, mostly through referrals," the officer said.
"The clients didn't even visit the clinics. Blood samples were picked up by a lab courier, and abortions were done at home."
Officers said that the nurse was well-networked and would offer her help in getting rid of a female fetus.
Police found that 25 tests were conducted after which eight female fetuses were aborted.
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Another police officer said that five people, including Acharya, Darji, a guesthouse owner, a woman who underwent abortion, and her sister-in-law, were arrested in the case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act charges.
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