Ranchi: Three individuals were arrested on Sunday for allegedly operating an ultrasound centre for sex determination in the city's Pandra area, officials reported. The accused have been identified as Suranjan Kumar, Akash Kumar, and Shila Kumari.
Violation of PCPNDT Act
The accused were taken into custody for violating the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PCPNDT) Act. A team formed under the directives of Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri conducted a raid on the centre and apprehended the suspects.
Details of the Raid
During the operation, the trio were discovered performing sex determination on the foetus of a pregnant woman using a portable ultrasound machine. Following this, they were arrested, and instructions were issued to file a case against them and send them to jail, according to an official communique from the district administration.
Previous Enforcement Actions
In May, National Health Mission (NHM) Jharkhand chapter director Shashi Prakash Jha convened a review meeting with civil surgeons-cum-nodal officers of the PCPNDT Act, executive magistrates of all districts, and other health officials. The meeting directed strict enforcement of the Act and called for drives to address gaps in monitoring mechanisms, prevent misuse of diagnostic facilities for sex determination, and check other lapses at diagnostic centres operating across the state.
