The investigations into the Sangli abortions and foeticide racket gathered momentum on Wednesday, as the Miraj police arrested five more people, including two doctors, taking the total number of arrests in the case to seven.
The five people arrested were identified as Dr Srihari Dhodke (68), Dr Ramesh Venkatesh Devgikar (64), Umesh Salunke (26), a compounder from already arrested prime suspect doctor Babasaheb Khidrapure’s hospital, Kanchan Roje, a lady sweeper in the hospital
and Sunil Khedkar, a medical shop owner.
In raids conducted on the clinics of the two arrested doctors from Kagvad and Vijapur, the police seized four sonography machines.
With the fresh arrests and seizures, the Karnataka connection to the flourishing abortions and foeticide racket in Sangli district has been established.
More arrests are likely in the coming days.
The police had on Tuesday arrested the prime suspect in the racket Dr Babasaheb Khidrapure from Belgaum district in neighbouring Karnataka.