Tamil Nadu: Woman dies after sex-selective abortion in Salem, doctor held

SALEM: A 50-year-old doctor was arrested in Salem on Monday after a pregnant woman died following an abortion she had performed. In the second such case in the past week, the doctor, R Selvambal of Vazhapadi in the district, had allegedly revealed the sex of the baby of 25-year-old Lakshmi on April 18 at the Niharika private hospital run by her for 18 years. According to Vazhapadi police, Lakshmi, of Pallapatti in Salem city, had been four months pregnant.

After the doctor revealed that the foetus was female, Lakshmi reportedly asked for an abortion, as she already had a daughter. She was admitted to the hospital and Dr Selvambal performed the abortion on April 19. Lakshmi reportedly suffered haemorrhaging and fainted. Her relatives took her to an another private hospital in Salem, but she died on the way.

Learning of the death, a special medical squad from Chennai visited Vazhapadi Monday evening. The team found the hospital had revealed the sex of the foetus. Officials inspected the hospital and alerted police. Police arrested Dr Selvambal under sections of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques and Medical Termination of Pregnancy Acts. Officials sealed the hospital.