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Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
MTP kit sales plummet in Haryana after crackdown
Following a state-wide crackdown on the sale of abortion pills--both legal and illegal--in the last four months, there has been a dramatic fall in the demand for medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits across Haryana, official data shows. From a peak of 40,763 MTP kits supplied by 32 wholesalers in the first fortnight of March, across 22 districts to retail medical shops and the certified MTP centres, the figures have nosedived to near-zero in at least 19 districts by early June, according to the official data compiled by the state Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). The data shows that 30,877 MTP kits were sold by the wholesalers in the second fortnight of March, and it came down to 25,721 between April 1 and April 15. Of the total 1,02,752 MTP kits sold between March 1 and June 9, as many as 87,770 MTP kits were sold by two Sonepat based wholesalers. While 10 districts have one each wholesaler, Ambala and Faridabad district have five each wholesalers of MTP Kits, followed by four in Panchkula and three each in Gurugram and Rohtak. This crackdown, spearheaded by additional chief secretary (health) Sudhir Rajpal, is a part of a broader strategy to prevent sex-selective abortions through coordinated monitoring. After Rajpal set up the State Task Force (STF) on February 6 and began cracking the whip to improve Haryana's sex ratio at birth (SRB) under the flagship Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, authorities have also seized about 8,800 MTP kits being sold illegally, registered over 50 FIRs, including at least 18 against online sellers of the MTP kits. According to Haryana state drug controller Manmohan Taneja, the FDA's data analysis shows 'no recorded sales of MTP kits in several key periods after mid-May', with the exception of a few pockets such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala and Yamunanagar, which still reported some activity, though far reduced. 'The FDA has directed the wholesalers not to sell MTP kits to medical shops even as they can directly supply the kits to registered MTP centres. Ever since the crackdown began, we have been tracking the sale of MTP kits from wholesale suppliers to MTP centers and the patients to whom it was given. Now every MTP kit sold is being tracked up to the patient who was prescribed the medicine by the MTP center,' said Taneja. Enforcement action As per the FDA data, between February 11 and June 9, a total of 27 medical shops were sealed across the state for selling MTP kits illegally. In addition, FIRs were registered against 29 individuals and establishments for violations under the MTP Act and related laws. These included medical stores, nursing homes, and unregistered practitioners operating without authorisation in districts such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Panipat, Palwal and Rohtak. The accused were booked under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the MTP Act, along with provisions of the Essential Commodities Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, where applicable. The violations under the MTP Act are punishable with rigorous imprisonment ranging from two to seven years. These offences are cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. FDA officials said the crackdown was aimed at curbing the illegal distribution and misuse of abortion pills, particularly in areas where unregulated sales were rampant. 'We have acted swiftly against violators and will continue our surveillance to ensure that MTP kits are sold only through authorised channels and with valid prescriptions,' an FDA officer said. The steep fall in sales figures is being viewed as a success by the state government in regulating access to abortion drugs, though public health experts have cautioned that legitimate access for women in need must not be hampered in the process.
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Haryana's crackdown on illegal abortions: Drastic drop in sale of pregnancy termination kits shows it's working
Amid ongoing efforts by Haryana authorities to curb illegal abortions, the sale of MTP (medical termination of pregnancy) kits has seen a sharp decline over the past three months. Compared to the 40,763 kits sold in a fortnight in March, the number has now plummeted to just 470 in the most recent fortnight. Concerned about the state's declining sex ratio—910 girls per 1,000 boys at birth in 2024, the lowest in eight years—authorities have intensified their crackdown on the illegal sale of MTP kits. Along with restricting unauthorised sales, officials are closely monitoring transactions from licensed wholesalers. The state has 32 authorised wholesalers that sell MTP kits to registered MTP centres. Official data shows that between March 1 and 15, Haryana recorded the sale of 40,763 MTP kits, with a staggering 39,000 kits sold in the Sonipat district alone. The trend continued in early April, with 25,721 kits sold between April 1 and 15. However, the numbers declined drastically, with only 1,492 kits sold from April 16 to 28, and further dropping to just 470 between May 27 and June 9. State Drug Controller Manmohan Taneja, speaking to The Indian Express, stated that wholesalers have been instructed to sell MTP kits only to authorised MTP centres and strictly on the recommendation of a registered medical practitioner. 'We have mandated record-keeping for every tablet, and any violations will be dealt with strictly,' Taneja emphasised. During a meeting of the State Task Force (STF) chaired by Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary for Health, Sudhir Rajpal, on Tuesday, officials reported that 29 wholesalers recorded zero sales of MTP kits between June 3-9. In April, Rajpal directed authorities to compile lists of MTP kit wholesalers and their stock, ensuring that sales are restricted exclusively to registered MTP centres. He also ordered inspections of centres conducting MTP procedures on pregnant women with two live girl children, warning that those found guilty of female feticide would face closure. Rajpal further stressed the urgent need for action on show-cause notices issued to MTP centres, urging immediate license cancellations for gynaecologists found complicit in sex-selective abortions. To enforce the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act more stringently, the state has either revoked or seen the voluntary withdrawal of registrations for 300 out of 1,500 MTP centres. Officials caution that terminating a pregnancy can be done surgically or with MTP kits, but self-administering these medications without medical supervision poses severe health risks. Illegal MTP kits, according to sources, are worsening sex-selective abortions in Haryana, exacerbating the already skewed sex ratio. Taneja previously explained that an MTP kit consists of five tablets—one mifepristone and four misoprostol—both classified as Schedule-H drugs, meaning a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner (RMP) is required for purchase. Kit packaging clearly warns: 'To be used only under the direct supervision of a gynaecologist.' Officials anticipate that the impact of recent initiatives will become evident by August-September, leading to an improvement in the sex ratio at birth. For the week of June 3-9 this year, the child sex ratio at birth was recorded at 943 girls per 1,000 boys. During a State Task Force (STF) meeting on May 20, the sex ratio for the preceding week was noted at 922, while on April 10, it stood at 911 girls per 1,000 boys. However, officials involved in the campaign emphasise that these figures reflect temporary fluctuations and suggest waiting a few more months to assess a meaningful and sustained change in the sex ratio at birth. Sukhbir Siwach's extensive and in-depth coverage of farmer agitation against three farm laws during 2020-21 drew widespread attention. ... Read More
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- The Hindu
Excise dept. seizes illicit liquor worth ₹25 lakh in week-long drive
The Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department seized liquor worth ₹25 lakh during a special week-long drive between June 3 and 9 across the State. A total of 64 cases were booked and 33 individuals arrested during the coordinated operation, jointly carried out by the State Task Force (STF), District Task Force (DTF) and local Excise staff. The officials confiscated 1,188 bottles, including 22 litres of beer and 21 litres of country-made liquor. In addition, 19 vehicles used in the illegal transport of liquor were seized. Most of the Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) were seized from Shamshabad, Saroornagar, Malkajgiri, Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Warangal and Karimnagar. In the northern regions of Adilabad, Nirmal, Asifabad and Kamareddy, locally brewed liquor was seized. Random checks were also conducted on trains arriving from Delhi and Goa.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- The Hindu
73 liquor bottles seized during checks in and around Hyderabad
As part of a State-wide crackdown on Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL), Excise officials have seized 73 liquor bottles across multiple locations and arrested four individuals for smuggling and illegal possession of liquor and drugs. In Hyderabad, 56 bottles of liquor worth around ₹2.5 lakh were confiscated in three separate incidents. In one case, a man was caught near the Secunderabad Military Hospital in Trimulgherry with 20 bottles of whisky. Further, as officials from the State Task Force (STF) conducted checks on incoming passengers from KSR Bengaluru and Rajdhani Express trains in Secunderabad, officials arrested another individual identified as Ajay Singh, with 44 bottles of beer and four additional liquor bottles. Officials raided a location in West Marredpally where the accused Runeet and Aditya were found selling 13 grams of OG Kush. They were also in possession of 32 bottles of liquor sourced from Goa, Manipur, and Delhi. Both were taken into custody. Meanwhile, 17 liquor bottles were seized at Zaheerabad during inspections of all vehicles entering Telangana from Goa. Tourist buses, private cars, and other vehicles were thoroughly searched at the check post as part of an intensified week-long drive against NDPL.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Another drug haul linked to hotel management student
The State Task Force (STF) of the Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department, on Tuesday (June 3), seized 50 ecstasy pills in connection with an ongoing case in DD Colony of Amberpet. This follows the arrest of the key accused in the case, Kanish Kevin, a student from Delhi enrolled at the Institute of Hotel Management in Hyderabad on May 30. During a search, officials recovered 113 LSD blots and 16 grams of OG Kush, a high-potency strain of cannabis from his possession. Kevin was arrested and handed over to the Kacheguda Excise Station. The accused was subsequently produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. In a fresh development, STF officials discovered that a drug parcel addressed to Kevin, ordered before his arrest, had recently arrived. The officials searched Kevin's room, where they found the parcel containing 50 ecstasy pills concealed inside a tin of dog food. The drugs had been hidden under the food granules and wrapped in brown packaging material. Three others, including M. Deepak Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, and Jethin, were also earlier booked and efforts are underway to trace them.
