Tripura doc caught red-handed while conducting abortion, suspended

Agartala: The Tripura health department has put Dr Ajoy Biswas, medical officer in charge of Saheed Birchandra Manu primary health centre (PHC) in South Tripura district, under suspension after health minister Sudip Roy Barman caught him red-handed conducting an illegal abortion on Wednesday.

The notification from the department said that the governor in the exercise of the power conferred by the sub-rule (I) of Rule- 10 of the Central Civil services (Classification, Control, and Appeal) Rules, 1965 is pleased to place the said doctor under suspension with immediate effect.

The notice undersigned by Dr JK Dev Varma, additional secretary, further said: “During the period that this order shall remain in force the headquarters of Dr Biswas should be at Birchandra Manu and the said Dr shall not leave the headquarters without permissions from the authorities.”

Earlier on Wednesday, minister Barman, health secretary Samarjit Bhowmik and health director Dr JK Dev Varma made a surprise visit at the Birchandra Manu Primary Health Centre on Wednesday morning. It was then that the doctor was caught red-handed while conducting the illegal abortion.

Dr Shankar Das, South Tripura district chief medical officer, said, “The illegal activity was revealed during a surprise visit of the health minister on Wednesday. Dr Ajay Biswas, medical officer-in-charge of the PHC, was busy aborting a foetus of a woman when health minister Roy Barman bumped into him during his visit.”

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The minister was inspecting each and every corner of the PHC including septic tanks. He received information about the abortion and reached the spot and caught the doctor red-handed. Dr Biswas has violated the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) ACT of 1971, the CMO added.

An FIR was also registered against Dr Biswas under various sections after Roy Barman instructed the Shantibazar officer-in-charge on Wednesday.

In the past, the health minister was seen conducting surprise visits at Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital and Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital in Agartala several times since he took charge in March last year. However, his visit to Birchandra Manu PHC came up as a major surprise.