Curious case of missing girls in Maharashtra

Shocking as it may sound, but over four lakh girls may have been killed in Maharashtra in 2011. As per estimates of the state health department, the average expected sex ratio of 952 and the child sex ratio of 883 in the 2011 census indicates that around 4,68,680 girls are missing. This could possibly mean the foetuses were aborted. Of this, Mumbai accounts for 30,116.

Child sex ratio refers to the approximate population of girls between the age zero and six.
India’s general sex ratio was 940 in 2011, as compared to 933 in 2001 and 927 in 1991. However, this rise was marginal in the state. The state's child sex ratio drastically fell from 946 in 1991 to 913 in 2001 and finally, 883 in 2011.

The state health department figures reveal that Maharashtra had a population of 1,28,48,375 in the zero to six years age group in 2011 and the number of males and females were 68,22,262 and 60,26,113 respectively. This made the sex ratio 883.

The highest number of missing girls or likely cases of female foeticide was 45,215 in Pune, followed by Jalgaon in 34,549, 33,110 in Ahmednagar and 29,916 in Nashik. Mumbai City’s and the suburbs has 10,868 and 19,248 missing girls respectively. The only district with more girls than the average expected sex ratio is tribal-dominated Gadchiroli. It has 244 girls more than the average.

Activist Varsha Deshpande said, "The turnover business for female foeticide in India is Rs2,000 crore and Maharashtra alone accounts for around Rs500 crore. Urban areas are the epicentre, while Mumbai is the hub. After the Beed incident, authorities are forced to take action."