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In a strong action to stop illegal sex-selective abortions and address the state's skewed sex ratio, the government of Haryana has intensified measures to prevent unregulated online sales of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits. Illegal online purchases of these kits are still made by many families in Haryana from states such as Goa, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, ignoring legal and medical checks.
A Special Task Force (STF) constituted by the government revealed widespread abuse of these abortion kits, prompting a sting operation by the authorities. By ordering their own online MTP kits, health and drug officials revealed how freely these prescription drugs were being sent, no questions asked.
14 FIRs registered, 5 arrested in pan-India operation
Between February 11 and March 10, 14 First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed by Haryana authorities against multiple e-commerce sites. The arrests in these cases involved five individuals - two each from Ghaziabad and Bhagalpur, and one person from Badaun.
As per Haryana Drug Controller Manmohan Taneja, the drive was initiated after complaints were received regarding the rampant misuse of the kits in the state. He stated "The orders for online delivery of MTP kits were placed based on feedback about their widespread use in the state.”
Taneja also cautioned that: the “Use of MTP kits without medical supervision can create life-threatening complications”.
Sex ratio falls to a frightening level.
Haryana officials claim that the illegal use of these kits is contributing to the issue of sex-selective abortions. Haryana's sex ratio dipped to 910 girls per 1,000 boys in 2024, the lowest in eight years.
Taneja said, “An MTP kit comprises five tablets, including one tablet of mifepristone and four tablets of misoprostol. Both medications are classified as Schedule-H drugs, requiring a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner (RMP) for the purchase. MTP kit packets prominently display the warning: ‘To be used only under the direct supervision of a gynecologist.” “Government hospitals or authorized private facilities use these medications to terminate pregnancy up to nine weeks. It must be administered under the supervision of a registered gynecologist.” Taneja added.
Breathtaking loopholes in online surveillance
Several e-commerce vendors were found to be sending out MTP kits without checking the prescription or the customer's identity. For instance, on February 24, officials in Kurukshetra ordered kits from a vendor in Bihar and immediately took legal action. Such cases emerged in Rohtak, Jhajjar, and Gurgaon, pointing to an enormous, unregulated supply chain.
On-the-Ground Sting Operations Reveal Local Violations Too
It's not only online vendors in the dock. In Panchkula's Haripur village, a chemist sold an MTP kit to a cheated customer without a prescription or valid receipt. Four more kits were found concealed in a motorcycle parked outside. The shop's license was revoked, and the seller was arrested by the authorities.
“In Panchkula’s Haripur village on February 25, a chemist shop supplied an MTP kit to a decoy customer without a prescription and a sale invoice. Four MTP kits were found hidden in a bike outside the shop. Following this, the shop’s license was canceled and the accused was arrested,” Taneja said.
In yet another major crackdown in Faridabad, police nabbed 1,200 alprazolam tablets, 3 bottles of codeine syrup, and 20 MTP kits from a car. Accused Ravinder Kumar, a resident of Palwal district, is now charged under the NDPS Act, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and the MTP Act.
What's next? A coordinated crackdown across states
Taneja asserted that Haryana is cooperating with law enforcement agencies in other states to clamp down on the rules and take legal action against illegal sellers. “We are coordinating with the police of the states where these e-commerce companies are operating and delivering MTP kits. Plans are afoot to take legal action against these e-commerce firms, besides getting persons indulging in online supply of these kits arrested,” Taneja said.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal Arshad/MSM)
