Indian-origin doctor arrested over circumcision of baby

An Indian-origin general practitioner (GP) from the East Midlands region of England has been arrested for allegedly circumcising a baby boy without his mother's consent.

Dr Balvinder Mehat is accused of carrying out a non- therapeutic circumcision or a procedure for religious rather than medical reasons on the three-month old baby believed to belong to the Muslim faith in July 2013.

Nottinghamshire Police had initially turned down the case for insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges. However, earlier this week, the force agreed to re-investigate the case and made two further arrests besides 61-year-old Mehat on Wednesday. "A 61-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent. A 44-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. They have all been released pending further investigation. Our enquiries are ongoing, Nottinghamshire Police said. "Where a victim or member of the public feel a decision made by us to discontinue an investigation should be reviewed, we will always welcome an appeal," it added.

investigation. Our enquiries are ongoing, Nottinghamshire Police said. "Where a victim or member of the public feel a decision made by us to discontinue an investigation should be reviewed, we will always welcome an appeal," it added.

It is unclear whether the GP, who is based at Bakersfield Medical Centre in the city of Nottingham, had been told that the boy s parents had consented. The couple are separated and the procedure is believed to have taken place when the boy was with his father s family.