Why were over 100 women dumped in a field after sterilisations, National Human Rights Commission wants to know

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to West Bengal's Principal Secretary Health West Bengal and the Malda district magistrate, taking cognizance of an NDTV report that showed how nearly a hundred women were dumped unconscious in a field after a mass sterilisation in the district.

The authorities have been given 6 weeks to reply to the NHRC notices.

The women had all undergone surgical procedures on February 5 at a state-run hospital in the Malda district of West Bengal, around 360 kilometres (220 miles) north of Kolkata. Footage shot by local reporters showed unconscious women being carried out of the hospital by men and then placed on open land because there was no room in the hospital for them to recuperate.

In complete violation of all norms, two doctors performed more than 50 operations each, double the number allowed by law.

A similar incident was reported from the Burdwan district last month raising concerns that the nightmare at Malda may not be an exception.

Unlike China, India has no laws limiting the number of children a family can have.  However given its billion-plus population, local governments often offer incentives such as cars and electrical goods to couples volunteering for sterilisation.

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