Twelve women died in India after undergoing sterilization, reports showed on Wednesday.

A new case in the country uncovered medical malpractice and serious irregularities in the government's family planning campaign.

Investigations show that a total of 83 women were sterilized by a doctor and his assistant through laparoscopic tubectomies Saturday.

Dr. K. Gupta, who was honored in 2013 by local authorities for conducting 50,000 female sterilizations throughout his career, performed the operations.

The procedures done at the Takhatpur block of the Bilaspur district in the center of the country exceeded the limit of 30 operations with a single laparoscope. Dr. Gupta did not sterilize the laparoscope, nor did he properly medicate his patients to avoid infection.

Additionally, the 83 operations were performed in about four hours.

One of the health workers said they were pressured to hurriedly meet the targets set under the central government's family planning scheme.

R.K. Bhamge said the 83 operations were made to meet the targets that the government set. By law, doctors are required to perform a certain amount of procedures.

Local government spokesman Rajat Kumar said the procedures violate government protocols and deemed the cases of the 12 dead women as "medical negligence."

Some of the patients began vomiting and complaining of abdominal pains shortly after undergoing surgery.

Currently, about 70 women are hospitalized and three of them are in critical condition.

The causes of death remain unclear while officials wait for autopsy results.

The government has dismissed Dr. Gupta while three health workers have been suspended.

A committee has been formed to open an investigation into the incidents.

The families of the victims are to be compensated $3,267, according to government announcements.

According to data published by the Hindustan Times newspaper, 1,434 women died in 2003 and 2012 after undergoing sterilization procedures.