Protectors turn predators: how son preference fuels female foeticide rackets in Maharashtra
The arrest of a retired government doctor by the Kolhapur police on July 31 for allegedly orchestrating a sophisticated female foeticide ring shows that illegal abortion networks continue to operate in secret across the State
Dr. Chandrakant Gunda Gaikwad, a former district civil surgeon and assistant director in Maharashtra’s health establishment, has been revealed as a key figure behind a sophisticated female foeticide ring. His arrest on July 31 for allegedly performing around 200 to 250 illegal abortions has exposed a network of violations operating out of Kolhapur.
The case has brought to light the issue of female foeticide in the state, where societal pressure for sons leads to tragic consequences for girls. In Kolhapur, an octogenarian resident named Sunanda Patil explained that women in the region often choose to terminate pregnancies if they result in female foetuses, a practice that has persisted for generations.
The Kolhapur police have vowed to introduce stricter laws to combat female foeticide, but the success of these measures remains uncertain, as implicated doctors and individuals often escape punishment. The issue of illegal abortion rings, such as the most notorious case involving the Mundes in Beed, continues to be a hidden reality in western Maharashtra.
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