Bengaluru: Seven foetuses were found floating in an open drain in Mudalgi town of Karnataka's Belagavi district of Karnataka Friday. Following an outcry, the health department ordered a probe.
According to the police, the foetuses were stuffed in canisters and thrown into the drain. The incident came to light after passers-by noticed the canisters floating in the drain and informed the police. District Health Officer (DHO) Mahesh Koni confirmed the incident.
According to the DHO, all the foetuses were five to seven months old. A case was lodged with the local police station in this regard through the gram panchayat.
The foetuses have reportedly been kept in the mortuary of the local hospital. They will be taken to the Belagavi Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for conducting tests.
Reports suggested that the incident is suspected to be a case of prenatal sex determination and female foeticide.
ANI quoted DHO Koni as saying that it was an incident of foetal sex detection and murder.
The law states that it is illegal to conduct tests to determine the sex of the foetus as per the Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994.