BENGALURU: The Byappanahalli police have busted a gang that was allegedly running a racket on gender determination and abortion of female foetus for the last three years and have arrested four persons.
The accused ran a laboratory from a sugarcane crushing unit in Mandya, where they allegedly had scanning machines and aborted female foetuses. The police are on the lookout for a doctor who was part of the gang.
The accused have been identified as Veeresh (35) from Shivamogga and Shivalinge Gowda (50), Naveen Kumar (43) and Nayan Kumar (36), all from Mandya. Gowda had worked in laboratories before and Veeresh used to work with the doctor associated with the case and is currently absconding. Police said they are also on the lookout for the doctors’ associate, Siddesh.
The incident came to light on October 15, when police upon credible information, were checking the vehicles around Old Madras Road. The police stopped Veeresh and Gowda, who were taking a pregnant woman to Mandya in a vehicle, but sped away without stopping. The police, however, nabbed them at the NGEF signal.
Investigations revealed that the accused used to take pregnant women to an ‘alamane’ (a unit where sugarcane is crushed and jaggery is produced) in Mandya, where they had a medical set-up consisting of a scan and ultrasound machines. “The accused used to abort girl foetuses after determining the gender. For each scan, they used to charge Rs 18,000-20,000. Seven women were found there when we raided the place. They were subjected to medical tests and legal notices have been issued,” the police said.
Further, the police are suspecting the role of Shivalinge Gowda’s wife Sunanda, who allegedly approached the pregnant women and told them about the illegal sex determination facility. It is said that she approached the women through her friends and relatives in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Davanagere, Mandya and other parts of the state.
The Byappanahalli police have taken up a case under the provisions of the Prohibition of the Sex Selection Act and the IPC, and have seized the scanning machine and other medical equipment used by the accused.