The foetuses have been sent to a hospital for examination (Representative Image) | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Key Highlights Local fishermen first spotted the blood-soaked sack and alerted the police The foetuses have been sent to Habra State General Hospital for examination Police suspect that the foetuses may have been dumped by those running illegal abortion clinics

Kolkata: Locals in West Bengal's Habra city discovered as many as two dozen foetuses dumped near a local pond on Friday. This development from the state's North 24 Paraganas district raises serious questions at the regulation of abortion centres in West Bengal and the extent to which their adherence to guidelines is monitored by concerned authorities.

The matter came to light on Friday when locals who had gathered at the pond in Mogra spotted a blood-stained sack around 4:30 pm. To their shock, they found containers filled with foetuses inside the sack. Local police were alerted and arrived at the spot. The containers were seized and a total of 24 foetuses recovered. These have been sent to Habra State General Hospital for further examination.

A case has been registered in this regard against unidentified people, said one report. Chief Health Officer of Habra, Tapan Saha confirmed the seizure of 24 foetuses and said that the administration is looking into the matter. A preliminary probe has led local law enforcement agencies to believe that the foetuses may have been dumped by nursing homes conducting illegal abortions. They also suspect the involvement of NGOs, doctors and middlemen. Ground reports suggest that illegal abortion clinics have mushroomed in the North 24 Paraganas district.

In February of this year, the Calcutta High Court overturned a single-judge bench's order to allow a 29-week pregnant woman to abort her foetus. The foetus had been diagnosed with multiple congenital complications, including Down syndrome.

Abortion continues to be a contentious issue in India. In July, the Supreme Court sent a notice to the Central government on public interest litigation (PIL). The apex court in its plea challenged the law that makes abortion legal only to save a life. At present, abortion is legal only if it is performed until 20 weeks of pregnancy. However, the permission of a court is required to abort a foetus that is more than 20 weeks old.

In its response, the central government told the top court that the right to reproductive autonomy does not outweigh the state's interest in protecting the life of a foetus. The ceiling of 20 weeks for an abortion, therefore, cannot be extended in a blanket manner, it added. The law in question here is section 3(2) (b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. The petitioner had sought the fixing of a rational ceiling at 26 weeks instead of 20 weeks as required by law.