Chinese ultrasound kit aids female foeticide in Madhya Pradesh district

BHIND: Clinics using portable Chinese ultrasound machines to illegally conduct foetal sex determination tests are suspected to be the reason behind the skewed sex

Published on: Sep 13, 2016, 06:19:09 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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BHIND: Clinics using portable Chinese ultrasound machines to illegally conduct foetal sex determination tests are suspected to be the reason behind the skewed sex ratio in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district, bordering Uttar Pradesh.

This district in Chambal Gwalior region has one of the worst sex ratios in the state — 1,000 men for 839 women against the national average of 1,000: 940.

The arrest of Neeraj Pal and Raju Pal on August 30 confirmed the worst fears of authorities that female foeticide was rampant in the district.

Investigators said the couple was conducting about three to four illegal abortions a week, which accounts for more than 1,400 in eight years since they were in the business.

Their arrest adds to the alarm sounded by National Crime Records Bureau data for 2015, which says Madhya Pradesh has reported the most number of female foeticide at 17.

Chinese ultrasound machines, which are just a little thicker than a laptop and costs between Rs 64000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, are the preferred tool to find out an unborn child’s sex, police said.

The machine’s size makes it inconspicuous and is easy to buy one because of its low cost. It can be carried and operated anywhere.

Other than Gwalior, it was found during investigation that sex determination was carried out in back-alley clinics in neighbouring Etawah and Jalaun districts of UP, bordering the Chambal-Gwalior region, Bhind collector Ilyaya Raja T said.

“In the district, there are only four ultrasound machines and all are under vigilance. The sex determination activities were carrying out in the border districts of Uttar Pradesh.”

Most of “doctors” are without a medical degree. Their modus operandi is to carry the portable ultrasound machines to rural areas, determine an unborn child’s sex, and refer to a clinic if the parents don’t want a girl child. The operation is discreet and the money is good since the law forbids sex determination and female foeticide.

“Anybody can purchase and operate these Chinese machines. It’s almost impossible to keep a tab on their use. But authorities can stop clinics operating illegally where abortions are conducted,” said a doctor who didn’t wish to be named

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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