The authorities in Maharashtra's Beed district have busted an illegal prenatal sex determination centre and apprehended two persons, an official said on Friday.
A sonography machine and abortion pills were also seized during the action against the centre at Sanjay Nagar of Gevrai in the district, he said.
Under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT Act), which is aimed at curbing female foeticides, it is illegal to ascertain the sex of an unborn child.
Acting on a complaint, the authorities first sent a pregnant woman to the centre on Thursday morning, the health official said.
A team of police, revenue and health officials then raided the place after receiving confirmation of prenatal sex determination being conducted there.
While a man and a woman were apprehended, a third person escaped, he said.
A sonography machine that was being used for the determination of fetal sex and abortion pills were seized from the spot, the official said, adding that a case has been registered in the Gevrai police station.
It's important to note that Beed has a notorious history of female infanticide and an alarming sex ratio. The district's female child birth ratio was 797 in 2011-12, increasing to 928 in December 2021, highlighting the persistent challenges in addressing gender-based issues.
