Bengaluru: A physician and his laboratory assistant have been apprehended by Bengaluru Police for their alleged involvement in performing approximately 900 illegal abortions over the past three years, authorities reported on Monday.
Dr. Chandan Ballal and lab technician Nisar purportedly demanded around ₹30,000 for each abortion conducted at a hospital in Mysuru, the district headquarters town. Both were taken into custody last week, according to officials.
Earlier this month, the hospital’s manager, Meena, and receptionist Rizma Khan were also arrested in connection with the case, as per police statements. The dismantling of a sex-determination and female foeticide operation took place last month, initiated by the arrest of Shivalinge Gowda and Nayan Kumar in the district headquarters town of Mandya, near Mysuru. The arrests occurred while the accused were transporting a pregnant woman for an abortion in a vehicle.
Upon further investigation, the accused duo disclosed the existence of a jaggery unit in Mandya, functioning as an ultrasound scan center. A subsequent police raid on the unit resulted in the confiscation of a scan machine lacking valid authorization or official documentation, stated a senior police officer.
“In the preliminary inquiry, it has been revealed that over the last three years, the accused doctor and his associates managed to carry out approximately 900 illegal abortions at the Mysuru Hospital, charging about ₹30,000 for each procedure,” the officer stated.
