KRISHNAGIRI: Two persons involved in sex determination were secured by the Krishnagiri health team during a decoy operation near Pennagaram in Dharmapuri district on Tuesday afternoon.
The suspects are S Parimala (29) and P Shanti (34) of Rangapuram village near Pennagaram.
A health department source told the TNIE, "A seven-member team from Shoolagiri and Kelamangalam Block in Krishnagiri district conducted a operation with a decoy mother at Rangapuram village. With the support of Dharmapuri District Health Officer Dr V Rajendran, Dharmapuri Collector R Sadheesh and Krishnagiri Collector C Dinesh Kumar, the team secured both suspects. They also seized Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Pills from Parimala's house. We also came to know that they had been charging Rs 20,000 for determining the sex of the foetus. The team also had to chase one more suspect who fled with the portable scan machine in a two-wheeler for around five kilometres. Parimala conducted the scans while Shanti was a mediator."
The source added that the health department staff from the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services did not support the complaint. "Later, with the intervention of Dharmapuri Collector, medical superintendent Dr S Kanimozhi from Government District Headquarters Hospital, Pennagaram lodged a complaint with the Pennagaram police."
A case was booked under BNS 319, 318 (4), 15 (3) of Indian Medical Council Act, sections 6 (b) and 23 (1) of Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act and section 34 (1) of National Medical Commission Act. A case was already filed against Parimala at Palacode police station last November for alleged involvement in sex determination in Palacode government hospital where she worked as a health visitor. She was terminated but not arrested. Dharmapuri Collector R Sadheesh told TNIE that the Goondas Act will be invoked against Parimala.