Nursing homes under scanner in Rewa

Bhopal, Mar 09: Like Ratlam, role of a few nursing homes has come under scanner in Rewa after a bag containing foetuses and their parts were found about a couple of days ago. While, the cops have issued notices to some nursing homes to furnish related details, detection of more than a dozen foetuses has once again pointed towards possible female foeticide prevalent in the area.

It is worth mentioning here that a foetus was found in year 2007 in Rewa but the issue was wrapped up and put under the carpet in hurry without launching detailed investigation. As many as 14 foetuses and their parts between two to eights months were found along roadside on Circuit House Road on March 5 under Civil Lines police station. A case was also registered under section 174 of the CrPC. Though, sex of all the foetuses could not be determined till date but it was informed that eight foetuses were of female child while two were of male child. All the foetuses were said to be at least a week old.   

An anonymous caller informed the cops about the bag lying beside the road after which the bag containing foetuses was seized. Additional Superintendent of Police Rakesh Jain told that a few nursing homes including two situated in nearby localities have been served notices to furnish details including dilatation and curettage (DNC) procedures carried out during last one year. Mr Jain said a team of cops has also been coordinating with the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) to facilitate investigation.

Remarkably, several parts of foetuses and other skeletal remains were recovered from a pit at a missionary hospital in Ratlam in the beginning of the year 2007. The Hospital's Medical Superintendent P Williams and sweeper Jagram were arrested for concealment of birth by secretly disposing bodies but were later released on bail. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal also staged protest against the incident and demanded action against the authorities concerned. The recent incident has once again revealed the dirty game of sex determination in violation of norms and apathetic attitude of the authorities to put a check on it.