Maharashtra: 11 skulls, bones of foetuses found buried in hospital, say police

The family-run hospital — a maternity and nursing home set up in the 1990s — has four doctors, Kumar Singh Kadam, his wife Shailja Kadam, son Niraj Kadam and daughter-in-law Rekha Kadam, and 11 nursing staff. The hospital has been sealed.

On January 10, Dr Rekha Kadam was arrested for allegedly carrying out an abortion on a 13-year-old girl. Two nurses, Pooja Dhat and Sangita Kale, were also arrested between January 12 and 13.

The girl’s mother had filed an FIR on January 9, alleging that her daughter was raped by a 17-year-old boy, and an abortion was carried out at the hospital on January 7, when she was five months pregnant. The girl has been shifted to another hospital, and is reported to be in a stable condition.

“The 17-year-old boy has been sent to a juvenile home and his parents have been arrested for threatening the victim’s mother. The hospital authorities, as per law, should have informed us when the victim was taken to the hospital for abortion. All the accused are in judicial custody,” said Pidurakar.

Dr Rekha Kadam is alleged to have charged Rs 30,000 for the procedure. Police said the foetus was buried inside the hospital’s premises, in a pit dug for a biogas plant. The nurses are alleged to have helped dispose the foetus. The other bones were recovered from the same pit.

“Our probe is on. We conducted further searches at the hospital on Friday and will be questioning more people from the hospital to find evidence in the case,” said Sunil Salunke, Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Jyotsna Giri, said they would record the statements of the rest of the Kadam family.