In a bid to eradicate the menace of female foeticide and balance the sex ratio in the state, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department has busted an illegal sex determination racket in Sunam of Sangrur district. A portable ultrasound machine, Rs35000/- paid to the accused for sex test were also recovered.
Divulging the details here today, Director Health Services (FW) Dr. Ravinder Pal Kaur said that Civil Surgeons of Barnala and Sangrur formed a joint team of the health department comprising District Family Welfare Officer, Barnala Dr. Parvesh Kumar, Deputy Medical Commissioner Barnala Dr. Gurminder Aujla,
Gynaecologist Dr. Anchal Kashyap, Radiologist Civil Hospital Barnala Dr. Shikha, PNDT co-ordinator Gurjit Singh, District Family Welfare Officer Sangrur Dr. Inderjit Singla, Dr. Amanpreet Kaur and PNDT coordinator Harpreet Singh to conduct the raid.
The health department team sent a pregnant patient as a decoy to a person for disclosing the sex of the foetus. An amount of Rs 35,000 was received by the accused woman for conducting the test and the patient was called to a house in Sunam. As soon as the accused started conducting the test, the team of the health department reached the spot and caught the 53-years-old man red-handed.
Dr. Ravinder Pal Kaur lauded the efforts of Civil Surgeon Barnala Dr.Jasbir Singh Aulakh on whose tip off this operation was conducted and Assistant Director Dr.Vineet Nagpal who coordinated the whole raid from the state.
She said that there was a search for this accused person in the surrounding states as well, therefore under the strict directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, taking immediate action on this information, a joint team of Health officials of district Barnala and Sangrur was made to conduct the raid. Dr. Parminder Kaur, Civil Surgeon Sangrur and Police Party played a pivotal role in this joint raid.
In this raid a portable ultrasound machine, Rs35000/- paid to the accused for sex test were also recovered. Moreover, another amount of Rs 2,49000/- and instruments and medicines used for carrying out abortions were also recovered on the spot. Apart from arresting the kingpin, the police team accompanying the raiding health team also arrested a woman who was illegally performing abortions at her home.
A case under PC PNDT act has also been registered against the accused.