Perturbed by reports of female foeticides in the state, the Rajasthan government has decided to file a police complaint against an Udaipur-based private hospital for violating the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.
The decision was taken Tuesday night after a week-long investigation into the three dead female foetuses that were discovered by police near Udaipur's Fatehsagar Lake Aug 1. "We have decided to file an FIR (first information report) under the MTP act and also a complaint against Mahaveer Hospital in Udaipur under the " Health Minister Digambar Singh told IANS here Wednesday. Singh said the decision to file a complaint against the hospital was taken after a medical and health department's investigating team found credible evidence from the hospital suggesting it could be involved in foeticide practices.The minister said that a detailed sonographic test was conducted on a 25-year-old woman in the hospital on July 25, according to hospital records. The documents revealed that a 16-week-old foetus was allegedly removed on the same day by one of the doctors.
A sting operation by a private television channel last month had exposed the practice of female foeticide in many north Indian states including Rajasthan.
The illegal practice further worsens the gender ratio in the state, which according to the 2001 census has only 922 females per 1,000 males.
(Source: IANS)
