In a major crackdown on gender-based malpractices, authorities in Morena district, Madhya Pradesh, arrested a 30-year-old man named Sanju Sharma on October 17, 2025, for allegedly performing unauthorized prenatal sex determination tests while impersonating a medical professional.
The operation, involving health officials from Gwalior and Morena alongside social activist Meena Sharma, unfolded near Gadora Pura on Joura Road, where Sharma was caught in the act using a portable ultrasound device.
The raid stemmed from a targeted sting setup, where a decoy pregnant woman accompanied by an undercover female police officer approached Sharma. As he initiated the scan, the team intervened, seizing the equipment and detaining him on site. A formal complaint was lodged at the Civil Lines police station, with Sharma subsequently transferred to local police custody for deeper investigation.
Sharma, previously employed as a peon in the district education department at Bilgaon Middle School, had been dismissed in November 2024 due to suspicions of criminal involvement. Despite lacking any medical credentials, he reportedly orchestrated a mobile testing service, visiting homes and charging between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000 per procedure. Reports indicate that if tests revealed a female fetus, his associates demanded additional large payments for arranging abortions.
Health authorities had monitored Sharma for approximately six months, following a lead from an April 2025 arrest in Jaipur, Rajasthan, where a suspect selling illicit ultrasound machines possessed Sharma's photograph and implicated him in the trade. This marked the second such syndicate dismantled in the region under Sharma's influence, after the May 2, 2025, apprehension of Pankaj Tiwari and an ASHA health worker for comparable violations.
The operation reportedly spanned multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi, exploiting vulnerable communities through discreet, door-to-door services. Social activist Meena Sharma, who assisted in the bust, highlighted the group's predatory tactics, noting their role in perpetuating female feticide by facilitating terminations for profit.
Morena Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Padmesh Upadhyay, addressing the media, credited the effort to directives from District Collector Lokesh Jangid after receiving intelligence tips.
He emphasized Morena's persistent challenge with skewed gender ratios, citing 2011 census data showing 840 females per 1,000 males, up from 822 in 2001 but still critically low in certain villages at 541.
Recent figures indicate improvement to 922, yet the district ranks among Madhya Pradesh's worst, underscoring the urgency of such enforcement actions.
(Rh/Eth/VK/MSM)