Jharkhand quack slashes genitals of newborn to prove he was born girl

A newborn boy died at a hospital in Chatra district of Jharkhand after a quack allegedly severed the baby's genitals to prove his ultrasound report true that the woman was pregnant with a girl, police said.

According to the baby's father Anil Panda, his wife was eight-month pregnant and was rushed to the nursing home under Itkhori police station on Tuesday night following labour pain.

Panda said the nursing home was run by Arun Kumar.

Following a check-up, Arun Kumar referred the woman to another hospital run by Anuj Kumar, where she was admitted.

Ahead of the delivery, Anuj Kumar informed the family that the baby would be a girl following an ultrasound test, but the woman delivered a boy a few hours later.

Panda said he was shocked to see his wife and mother wailing despite the fact his wife had delivered a healthy boy.

When he reached the clinic, he found that the newborn boy had died of profuse bleeding after the doctor severed his genitals to prove the ultrasound report right, Panda said.

On being informed about the matter, a police team rushed to the hospital but the accused managed to escape, police said.

Police registered a case under relevant sections of Clinical Establishment Act and Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act and launched a hunt to apprehend the two doctors, police said.

District civil surgeon S P Singh said the administration has served notices to Arun Kumar and Anuj Kumar to shut their clinics running illegally.

They had installed ultrasound machines and were clandestinely carrying out gender determination tests, Singh said, adding, two FIRs - one by himself and another by the victim's father - were registered in connection with the case.

Singh said the clinics have been sealed.