The doctor who conducted sterilisation procedures after which 13 women died in central India was arrested, but insisted he didn’t do anything wrong — even though he said he used to perform up to 10 times more surgeries a day than allowed.

A doctor who conducted sterilisation procedures after which 13 women died has been arrested, a senior medical official in India said.

Eight Indian women have died and 20 others are in a critical condition after having sterilisation surgery under a free government-run programme to help slow population growth.