Bengaluru: A radiologist of Ramanagara Govt Hospital has been suspended for sex determination after the fetus of a 26-year-old woman from Mandya district was aborted with the involvement of a racket.An inspection by health officials on Aug 25 found that Dr Shashi SL conducted the scanning.Bengaluru district health and family welfare officer Dr Ravindra Kumar M Meti filed a complaint with Byatarayanapura police against the racketeers on Aug 30. Dr Meti identified the accused as Dr Pallavi, who practises in a clinic in Shammanna Garden off Mysuru Road, along with the pregnant woman’s husband, their relative Lakshmi, an acquaintance Bhagyamma and a couple – Sharadamma and Dasegowda.According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of Banashankari and native of Maddur taluk in Mandya district, is a mother of two girls and was pregnant with her third child. She and her husband decided to know the gender of the fetus as they wanted a male child. They contacted Lakshmi, who introduced them to Bhagyamma, who in turn informed them that she would arrange a gender determination test at Ramanagara Govt Hospital.On Aug 22, the couple, along with Lakshmi, went to Ramanagara District Hospital on Bhagyamma’s advice. Another woman, identified as Sharadamma, called them up and told them to write her name on the woman’s hand before sending her for a scan.After the doctor who conducted the scan said the baby was healthy, Bhagyamma told the couple to meet Sharadamma’s husband Dasegowda.The pregnant woman’s husband paid Rs 25,000 to Lakshmi, which she paid to Dasegowda, who informed them that the woman was carrying a female fetus.According to the complaint, Lakshmi asked the couple to undergo foeticide, and Bhagyamma gave them Dr Pallavi’s phone number and sent them the location of Danish Polyclinic.After the couple reached the clinic, Bhagyamma told them the foeticide would cost Rs 23,000. Dr Pallavi gave medicines to the woman for aborting the fetus, the complaint said.The information about the sex determination test reached the Ramanagara health officer, who warned the woman’s husband that he would face legal action if the fetus was harmed.The woman’s husband decided to take his wife home without any procedure and Dr Pallavi collected Rs 3,000 before sending the couple away. Bhagyamma collected Rs 5,000 from the couple and transferred it to Lakshmi.When the couple reached home, the woman experienced severe pain. She was taken to a govt hospital at Banashankari 2nd Stage where the doctor declared that the fetus was dead and asked them to get it removed at Vani Vilas Hospital. The woman went there on Aug 23, where the doctors alerted the health department officials.A senior officer said a case was registered and notices will be served to the suspects.
