The Maharashtra police on Sunday found 19 aborted female foetuses dumped in a village in Sangli district, PTI reported. The Maharashtra government suspects it is part of a cross-border abortion racket and will take up the matter with Karnataka. “Maharashtra government will take up the issue of female foeticide with Karnataka to prevent such cases, especially after the Sangli incident,” state Health Minister Deepak Sawant told PTI.

The foetuses were found buried near a stream. The police were investigating the case of a 26-year-old pregnant woman, who had died during an abortion procedure on February 28 in Mhaisal village, Sangli Superintendent of Police Dattatray Shinde told the news agency. The woman was taken to the abortion clinic by her husband because she was believed to be carrying a baby girl for the third time, Shinde added.

During the investigation, the police reached the stream where they found the other foetuses dumped. A case was registered against the woman’s husband and the doctor, who is currently missing.

The state government on Monday sent a five-member team to the site from where the foetuses were recovered, reported dna. “We have also asked the Sangli district medical officer and civil surgeon to file their reports on [the] Mhaisal incident. Once the report comes, there will be appropriate action,” Sawant told PTI.