Yadgir Abortion Case: There is no trace of more than 3,000 registered pregnant women in Yadgiri. This incident has given rise to fears of illegal abortion and female foeticide. After huge irregularities came to light in the records of the health department, the officials have started investigation.
Karnataka Female Foeticide News: Something very fishy is going on in Yadgiri district of Karnataka. The health department itself is in shock after finding out that it does not have any record of more than 3,000 pregnant women registered with it. More than 30,000 pregnant women had registered in the district, but a large number of them had no trace of delivery. After this revelation, the possibility of more than one thousand female feticide taking place secretly in the last year (2024-25) has deepened.
The issue first came to light on March 18, when ‘Kannada Prabha’ newspaper published a special report titled ’30 female feticide in 7 months in Yadgiri district’. This report had created a huge uproar.
Taking the matter seriously, Harsh Gupta, the then Principal Secretary of the Health Department, ordered an immediate investigation. He formed a five-member state-level committee of medical officers and asked them to conduct a thorough investigation not just in Yadgiri but in all the districts of the state.
Following the Kannada Prabha report, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao held a video conference with senior officials on the afternoon of 25 March. In this meeting, some really shocking figures of Yadgiri came to light. According to a confidential report of that meeting obtained by Kannada Prabha, 652 cases of abortion were officially registered in the department in the seven months from April to November 2025. While the abortion average in the state is 5.24%, Yadgiri’s average was 3.16%.
3,127 cases unaccounted for
The figures for the year 2024-25 are even more worrying. A total of 31,435 pregnant women were registered. Of these, 26,584 babies were born and 188 babies died. 207 women were yet to deliver and 1,329 cases were recorded as abortions. But if all these are added the total number is only 28,308. This means that 3,127 cases are unaccounted for. Did these women give birth to children? Are the children alive or dead? There is no answer to these questions.
Suspicion of making fake ‘Thai Card’?
Sources told Kannada Prabha that during the meeting, officials also raised apprehensions that many of these missing cases could be surreptitious abortions conducted because the fetus was a girl. The state-level committee visited the district from April 6 to April 10 to collect information and were said to be surprised by their findings. There are also whispers within the department that fake ‘Thai Cards’ (maternity cards) are being made just to meet the target on paper.
Action to stop abortion
Yadgiri District Collector Harshal Bhoyar said, “The state-level committee has visited the district and gathered information. They have told us that a report will be submitted to the government soon. I have held an important meeting with health officials and have given strict instructions to take action against fake doctors and stop abortions.”