Reverse tracking of a medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) case by the Karnal Health Department has exposed an alleged illegal abortion racket operating in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Two Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) have been arrested, and an FIR has been registered against a doctor.
Key Individuals Booked
Those booked include Dr Arpit, a resident of Shamli, and ANMs Iqra and Fatima, both residents of Kairana in Uttar Pradesh. The investigation began after doctors at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC), Karnal, alerted Civil Surgeon Dr Poonam Chaudhary about a critically ill woman, Preeti, a Karnal resident, who was admitted with complications following an alleged illegal abortion.
Inquiry Committee Formed
Acting on the information, Civil Surgeon Dr Poonam Chaudhary constituted a three-member inquiry committee on June 30, headed by Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Sheenu Chaudhary, with Dr Manish Kumar and Dr Neeru as members. The team visited KCGMC, recorded the statement of the patient’s brother-in-law, Rinku, and reconstructed the sequence of events.
Sequence of Events
According to the inquiry, the family had travelled to a religious place in Uttar Pradesh on June 25. While returning, they met with an accident in which Preeti sustained injuries and was referred to a hospital in Shamli for an ultrasound examination. After the scan, Dr Arpit allegedly informed the family that the foetus was not in good condition and advised immediate termination of the pregnancy to save the mother’s life. She was then referred to a healthcare centre in Kairana, allegedly owned by Dr Arpit, where the abortion was carried out.
“The illegal abortion was done at this healthcare facility,” said Dr Sheenu Chaudhary.
Raid and Recovery
Based on the family’s statements, the inquiry team, accompanied by police, conducted a surprise inspection at the Kairana healthcare centre. Rinku identified two women present at the facility as those who had allegedly assisted the doctor during the abortion. During the raid, the team recovered abortion instruments, medicines used for MTP procedures, and government-supplied medicines meant to be distributed free of cost at public health institutions.
Legal Action Taken
The team later informed the Shamli health authorities and also visited Dev Hospital. “We got an FIR registered in Karnal and handed over everything found during the raid to Shamli Health authorities for further action,” said Dr Poonam Chaudhary.
Public Appeal
Appealing to the public to report illegal abortions and sex determination tests, Dr Chaudhary said, “We are tracking each and every pregnancy. This case is a result of the tracking of such pregnancies.”
