Mumbai (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Police in Chhattisgarh have
arrested Dr. RK Gupta, the doctor who performed
83 female sterilization in less than five hours, causing the deaths of 13
women. The man had already been suspended by the authorities and was trying to flee.
His assistant who helped him carry out the illegal tubal ligations on 8
November was also arrested.
Yesterday a 14th woman died, but in another government center, also in the
district of Bilaspur. The serious aspect, note some local health care
specialists, is that these operations took place November 10, after the earlier
deaths had already come to light.
The second "round" of female sterilizations took place in Gaurela and
involved 26 patients. If the 83 Pundari women were sterilized in just five
hours, the second group took less than an hour, about a two minutes per
operation.
The victim has been identified as Gaurela Chaiti Bai an ethnic Baiga. This
tribe is considered protected by law and the government had banned the sterilization
of the community. Another 20 women operated on with her were hospitalized for complications.