Govt Doctor, Nurse, and Touts Caught in Sting Operation
Krishnagiri: A fetus sex determination racket was busted in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of six individuals, including a government primary health centre (PHC) doctor and nurse. The operation was carried out through a sting operation by health department officials from Salem and Krishnagiri districts, along with the police.
Sting Operation Uncovers Illegal Activity
Krishnagiri district collector S. Dinesh Kumar received intelligence about touts facilitating illegal prenatal sex determination for pregnant women. In response, he formed a special team, including city health officer (CHO) Dr. G. Ramesh Kumar and Kelamangalam block medical officer Dr. C. Rajesh Kumar, to investigate the racket.
Two doctors, posing as a couple, approached Gautham (34) of Rayakottai, a key middleman. He introduced them to Sagaya Mary (48) of Tirupathur district, who arranged the process. When the undercover doctors failed to provide Aadhaar cards, they were redirected to Salem district, where they met touts Sangeetha (38) of Dharmapuri and Ambika (45) of Salem.
Arrests Made and Equipment Seized
The ‘couple’ was then taken to Kalaimani (48), a nurse at the PHC in Thedavur, who escorted them to Pasupathy Scan Centre in Veeranam. There, they met Dr. Muthamil (45), a PHC doctor from Achankuttapatty, who was allegedly performing the illegal scans.
Following coordination with Salem district collector R. Brindha Devi and Salem city police commissioner Praveen Kumar Abhinapu, health officials and Veeranam police raided the centre on Wednesday morning. Dr. Muthamil, nurse Kalaimani, and four touts were arrested, and an ultrasound machine used for sex determination was seized.
Doctor Charged for Charging Rs 15,000 Per Scan
Initial investigations revealed that Dr. Muthamil was charging Rs 15,000 per pregnant woman for determining the fetus’ sex. All six accused were remanded to judicial custody and are currently lodged in Salem Central Prison.
Krishnagiri collector S. Dinesh Kumar has issued a strict warning, stating that anyone found engaging in such illegal activities will face severe penalties as per government regulations.
