At least 11 skulls and 54 bones of foetuses were found in the premises of a private hospital in Maharashtra's Wardha district, a recovery which came to light when the police were investigating a separate case of illegal abortion, an official said on January 14.

Acting on a tip-off, the police searched a biogas plant located in the premises of Kadam Hospital in Arvi tehsil on January 13 and found 11 skulls and 54 bones of foetuses, which have been sent for laboratory examination, the official said. A probe was underway to ascertain if the recovered bones and skulls were disposed of legally or illegally, he said.

The police had earlier arrested a doctor and a nurse of the hospital for allegedly performing an illegal abortion on a 13-year-old girl, the inspector of the Arvi police station said. Based on a complaint, the police arrested the doctor and the nurse on January 9 and also nabbed the parents of a minor boy who allegedly impregnated the girl with whom he was in a relationship, he said.

The boy's parents had threatened the victim's parents that they would defame the girl if she did not undergo an abortion, and they paid for the procedure last week, the official said. A complaint of illegal abortion was lodged, following which the accused were arrested under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.

According to the police, the doctor had failed to inform the authorities about performing an abortion on a girl under the age of 18. Wardha Superintendent of Police Prashant Holkar told PTI that the accused doctor's parents-in-law, who are also physicians, have a license to perform abortions. A probe is underway to ascertain if the bones and skulls recovered from the biogas plant were disposed of legally or illegally, he said, adding Dr Kadam has not produced any documents in this regard.