Police have arrested four people, including the woman's husband, the diagnostic centre's operator, an ultrasound staff member and a nurse. All four have been sent to judicial custody.
According to the complaint received by police, Kiran Kumari, a resident of the Petarwar police station area, was pregnant. Her husband, Sonu Kevat, and members of her in-laws' family allegedly pressured her to undergo foetal sex determination in their desire to have a male child.
The examination was reportedly conducted at Central Diagnostic Centre in Shyamdih. It is alleged that after the family learned that the foetus was female, Kiran was forced to undergo an unsafe abortion.
During the procedure, her condition suddenly deteriorated, and she reportedly suffered severe bleeding. She was rushed to Sanjeevani Hospital in Shyamdih, where doctors declared her dead.
According to the police's preliminary assessment, Kiran died due to excessive bleeding following an improperly conducted abortion procedure.
Following a written complaint filed by the deceased woman's father, Rajendra Kumar Kevat, Katras police registered Case No. 274/2026.
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.
The four arrested accused have been identified as Kiran's husband, Sonu Kevat; Central Diagnostic Centre operator, Sachin Kevat; Vijay Goswami, a staff member of Relief Diagnostic; and Sulochana Devi, a nurse at SNMMCH.
Apart from the arrested accused, several other people have been named in the case. They include the deceased woman's father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, husband's sister, other people associated with the diagnostic centre, laboratory technicians and doctors.
Police said raids were underway to arrest the remaining accused who are currently absconding.
Following the incident, police sealed Central Diagnostic Centre. According to police, no qualified gynaecologist or qualified doctor was present at the centre during the abortion procedure.
A forensic team is investigating the case to establish whether foetal sex determination was conducted, examine the abortion procedure and determine the actual cause of Kiran's death.
The incident has once again brought the issue of illegal foetal sex determination and female foeticide into focus, highlighting the need for strict enforcement of laws aimed at preventing gender-based discrimination before birth.
While a mother who was allegedly forced into an unsafe abortion lost her life, her family members are now facing arrest and legal proceedings over their alleged involvement in the case.
Police have stated that legal action will be ensured against everyone found guilty.
The death of Kiran Kumari has exposed the devastating consequences of alleged illegal medical procedures and discrimination against unborn girls, with the investigation now focused on establishing the role of each accused and ensuring accountability under the law.
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