Female foeticide: Karnataka human rights panel member raps DHO

Mahalingpur (Bagalkot district): Karnataka State Human Rights Commission member S K Vantigodi on Monday took the district health and family welfare officer to task for failing to take appropriate action in the female foeticide case.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to house of Kavita Baadanavar, the prime accused in the case, at Oil Mill plot in the town, Vantigodi, the retired district judge, said, "Prima facie, it appears that the DHO has failed to take an appropriate action in the female foeticide case. In 2022, when the health officials raided the house, they seized the main entrance. But didn't seal two other entrances to the house. This laxity gave the accused free run. I will write to the government and recommend it to take stringent action against those involved in the heinous act," the KSHRC member said.

Following the direction by the Commission, Mahalingpur CPI Sanjeev Baligar questioned DHO Dr D B Pattanshetty and sought his explanation over the health department not sealing two entry points during the raid in 2022 and leaving medical equipment at the house.