Doctor and lab technician held for performing around 900 illegal abortions in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Police have arrested a doctor and his lab technician who have allegedly performed around 900 illegal abortions in the last three years, officials said on Monday.

Dr Chandan Ballal and his lab technician Nisar allegedly charged around Rs 30,000 for each abortion which they carried out at a hospital in the district headquarters town of Mysuru. Both of them were taken into custody last week, they said.

The hospital’s manager Meena and receptionist Rizma Khan were arrested earlier this month, police said. In a decisive operation last month, law enforcement successfully dismantled a sex-determination and female foeticide racket, leading to the arrest of Shivalinge Gowda and Nayan Kumar in Mandya, near Mysuru. The arrests unfolded as the accused were intercepted while transporting a pregnant woman for an abortion, exposing a troubling nexus involved in illicit activities.

Interrogation of the accused-duo unveiled a covert ultrasound scan centre operating within a jaggery unit in Mandya. Acting swiftly on this revelation, a police team conducted a raid, seizing the ultrasound scan machine. Significantly, the machine lacked the necessary valid authorization and official documentation, raising concerns about the unregulated nature of the operation.

A senior police officer underscored that these findings suggest a broader pattern of illegal activities. Allegedly, over the past three years, the accused and their accomplices facilitated approximately 900 illegal abortions at the Mysuru Hospital, charging around Rs 30,000 for each procedure. This revelation highlights the gravity of the situation, prompting authorities to escalate efforts to address such illicit practices.