Female Feticide Racket Exposed in Gujarat

Mobile Sex Determination and Abortion Services Uncovered

Gujarat faces a serious issue with a highly skewed child sex ratio. Recently, a shocking discovery was made. A female feticide racket in Bavla, Ahmedabad, was offering sex determination tests and abortions at patients’ homes. This is likely the first case of its kind in the state.

How the Racket Worked

Police found that at least five such procedures happened in Ahmedabad and nearby towns. The accused, now in police custody, charged Rs 15,000 for each case. The racket was run by nurse Hemlata Darji and radiologist Harshad Acharya. They operated in Ahmedabad, Anand, and Vadodara.

• 25 sex determination tests were done at Acharya’s clinic, Ashirwad Imaging Centre in Odhav.
• Out of these, eight fetuses were allegedly female.
• Three abortions were performed at a Bavla guesthouse.
• Five abortions were allegedly done at patients’ homes.

A Well-Planned and Secret Operation

This was not a rushed operation. It was a carefully planned setup designed for secrecy. Patients did not even have to visit a clinic. The team went to them, called a lab courier for blood tests, and performed the abortion right there.

If a patient bled heavily during the abortion, Darji used medicines she allegedly stole from a private hospital where she previously worked. Acharya’s main job was to determine the sex of the fetus.

The Worrying Trend

In Gujarat, the child sex ratio has dropped to a concerning 890 girls per 1,000 boys, according to the 2011 census. Despite years of awareness campaigns and strict laws banning sex determination, the demand to know the sex of the child remains strong. This has pushed the entire network underground, serving families who do not want daughters.

The Investigation Details

The investigation showed that Acharya started this activity about one and a half years ago. He charged Rs 15,000 and gave Rs 7,000 to Darji for each case. The communication between clients and the accused was in code.

• If Acharya smiled and said ‘aashirwad (blessings)’, it meant the fetus was male.
• If he said ‘theek thai jashe (everything will be alright)’ with a serious face, it meant the fetus was female.

The accused chose clients carefully, mostly through close contacts. They told police they could not remember the names of the women who had the procedures. They only remembered the houses where the sex determination and abortions took place.

Legal Actions Taken

Darji was the first to be arrested from a Bavla guesthouse last week. She was performing an abortion without valid medical qualifications. Acharya was arrested the next day. Both face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.