KOLKATA: Bodies of 14 newborns in various stages of decomposition were found wrapped in plastic bags in a vacant land in Haridebpur area of southern Kolkata during a cleaning programme on Sunday, police said.

The bodies wrapped in plastic bags were found on the grassy land on Raja Rammohan Roy Sarani under the Haridebpur Police station area when labourers were cleaning it, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.

"Some abortion racket operating nearby could be behind it," he said.

Some of the bodies appeared to be in a semi-decomposed state, while a few were fully decomposed, the officer said.

"We have no clue where from they (the bodies) have come. Going by circumstantial evidences, it seems that they were dumped there as the land was lying abandoned," the officer said.

City Mayor

and Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar have reached the spot on receiving information.