Telangana: Posing as decoys, women police nab those indulging in prenatal sex determination

Rachakonda (Telangana) [India], July 10 (ANI): In a first, women police constables are posing as decoys to nab those indulging in prenatal sex determination in Rachakonda.
Speaking to ANI, Commissioner of Police Mahesh M Bhagwat said the initiative was launched keeping in mind the declining sex ratio in the country.
"There has been a steep decline in the sex ratio in our country, according to recent statistics in our state of Telangana. Earlier, the sex ratio was around 914 females per 1000 males, now it has come down to 901 females per 1000 males. Keeping this in mind, we have started this initiative," he said.
"When we get credible information that any scanning centre is doing a gender determination test, we plan a decoy operation and trap them. These doctors who are arrested are booked under Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 (PNDT)," said Bhagwat.
Till now, the SHE teams have arrested nine qualified doctors from the zone who have been indulging in such unlawful activities and shut down six to seven multi-speciality hospitals.
The basic objective behind this is to promote the campaign 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' in the state of Telangana, Bhagwat mentioned.
"Under this operation, when we get credible information, we arrange a decoy. Here, our women constables who are pregnant take part in this operation. Our pregnant women constables (voluntarily) act as probable customers in such scanning centres, and when they are about to pursue it, we trap them. With this, we have been able to generate a fear of law among people in urban as well as rural areas, that gender determination of foetus is unlawful and punishable," said Shaikh Saleema, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, SHE teams in charge, Rachakonda.
"The worst part about the whole of the story is even the educated are involved in this and charge up to Rs 25,000," she added.
Yadamma, a woman constable who has been part of such decoy operations, said, "This (campaign) gives me immense confidence to spread awareness about women issues in public issues."
(ANI)