Ratlam bones: Sagar-based DNA lab ready to unravel mystery

Bhopal, Feb 20 (UNI) In the wake of the finding of more than 400 pieces of bones of foetuses and aged persons in a mission hospital's premises in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam town, the Sagar-based Forensic Science Laboratory's newly set-up DNA wing has offered to accept the challenge for sex determination of the foetuses.

Polythene packets containing the bones were found on Saturday.

The government formed a five-member probe committee headed by Civil Surgeon K C Pathak. Hospital Director P William and sweeper Jagram were arrested and subsequently freed on bail.

Some samples were sent to the local Gandhi Medical College's Medico-legal Institute.

''I have received 14 samples, which appear to be of foetuses that were four to eight months old. A DNA test is imperative for sex determination and I am in touch with the country's leading institutions in this regard,'' Institute Director D K Satpathy told UNI.

He said that it might take a week to analyse the samples from Ratlam district, bordering Rajasthan. Preliminary investigation revealed that the aged persons' bones, which were a few in number, were amputated during surgery.

FSL Director Jagdeesh Kumar Agrawal said that he was yet to receive any communication from Bhopal but added that the roughly Rs 3.5-crore DNA wing, which began functioning just yesterday, would do the needful.

''The wing has been set up with guidance and technical assistance under a memorandum of understanding with the leading Hyderabad-based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics. DNA testing is expensive,'' FSL Joint Director Mehmood Ali, who is in charge of the wing, told UNI.

The wing has four scientists and other technical staff.

As per Dr Pathak, the mission hospital did not possess a licence for medical termination of pregnancy. ''The hospital's directors say that they did not even apply for such a license,'' he added.

A probe committee member said that the case seemed to be one of illegal abortion, particularly termination of female foetuses. ''The problem has assumed horrendous proportions in Gwalior-Chambal region and is spreading to other areas,'' the member added.

The gender balance has taken a body blow in certain districts of Gwalior-Chambal region. In a few villages of Bhind and Morena districts, it is 300 to 400 females for every 1,000 males.

UNI