Over 150 foetuses recovered from a well in Orissa

Nayagarh, July 22 (UNI) In a shocking incident, police today recovered over 150 decomposed foetuses, most of them female, packed in polythene bags from a well near a foothill on the outskirts of Nayagarh town.

Acting on a tip off, the police swung into action and retrieved the foetuses from the well, which was found to be filled with blood, skulls and ribs of the foetuses.

The police action came after several women organisations and NGOs staged demonstration in the town yesterday demanding a thorough inquiry into the July 14 incident in which a rag picker found at least seven female foetuses packed in polythene bags on the foothills of Duburi hills near the town.

The police also raided at least four nursing homes in the town and seized ultra sound machines, computers and other equipment allegedly used to sex determination test in clear violation of the law.

The incident had sent shock waves in the state and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had already ordered a Crime Branch inquiry yesterday while the State Women Commission and the Women and Child Welfare Department have started independent inquiries.

An eight-member fact finding team, led by the People's Centre for Culture Convener Ranjan Mohanty, which visited the area had demanded a crime branch inquiry into the incident and demanded stern action against the guilty.

The fact finding team, which interacted with the local people, police and officials, claimed that female foeticide was a regular feature in the area and alleged a nexus among the local police, doctors, nursing home owners and district health officials.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) and Superintendent of Police have arrived in the town to investigate.

Police sources said the well located near a forest and the area belonged to the owner of a Nursing Home which was also raided today.

The search operation inside the well is still going on and more foetuses are likely to be retrieved from it, police said.

However, no one has been arrested in connection with the incident so far.

UNI