Human foetus, other endangered species recovered from school lab

According to the police, the animal bodies and the foetus were preserved in a jar in the laboratory. “Secret information was received that endangered species are present in the laboratory of Tinu Public School. After this a raid was conducted with the help of People for Animal (PFA), an NGO working in the field of animal welfare,” a senior police official said.

The officer further said that the school staff got to know about the raid so they had already hidden the animal bodies present in the laboratory. When the laboratory was searched properly, the animal bodies along with the female foetus were found preserved in a jar. “In the room, I spotted an almirah at one corner. When I opened it, I was shocked to see a jar inside in which a human foetus was floating in a chemical,” said Sourav Gupta, vice-president, PFA.

The jars were immediately taken into police custody and the principal along with the owner of the school were arrested. According to representatives of the PFA, storing dead or alive endangered species can lead up to a jail term of three to seven year while having a human foetus can send the culprit behind bars for 10 years. A case against the school administration under Section 51 of the Wild Life Protection Act 1972 has been registered in the Sangam Vihar police station.

Meanwhile, the human foetus has been sent to a hospital laboratory for investigation and a probe is on to find out the source from where the foetus reached the school.