2 doctors, attendant among 7 booked for running female foeticide racket

A prenatal sex determination and an illegal abortion racket spanning from Mahalingpur in Bagalkot district to Kolhapur in Maharashtra has been busted by the Maharashtra and local police in a joint operation on Wednesday.

The incident came to light after a woman from Hatkalangda in Maharashtra, who had undergone abortion in Mahalingpur after she opted for female foeticide, died of excessive bleeding late Monday night.

The police have booked Sanjay Gowli, Sangeeta Sanjay Gowli and Vijay Sanjay Gowli of Doogaon in Maharashtra, Dr Maruti Kharat of Kupwad, Dr Kotwale of Athani, a sonographer from Maharashtra and Kavita Baadanavar of Mahalingpur.

Kavita Baadanavar, one of the accused arrested in the case. 

The police arrested Vijay Gowli, Dr Maruti Kharat and Kavita Baadanavar.

All three have been sent to judicial custody.

Sonali Sachin Kadam, mother of two daughters, opted for female foeticide when she found out in the scanning that her third child is also a girl.

Sonali, a native of Alate in Kolhapur district, died of excessive bleeding hours after she underwent abortion at Kavita Baadanavar’s house in Mahalingpur.

When the body of Sonali was being taken to her native in a car, the Maharashtra police checked the car and found Sonali’s body. The investigation trail led the police to a female foeticide ring in Mahalingpur.

According to the police, Kavita Baadanavar, who worked as an ayah (attendant) at a private hospital, is the kingpin of the female foeticide racket.

Sources said the health department had in 2019 and 2022 seized her house and booked her for quackery.