DHARMAPURI: Dharmapuri B1 police arrested seven people involved in sex determination and abortion racket on Saturday. The suspects were identified as S Jyothi (33), D Sathiskumar (37) G Sudhakar from Tirupattur (37) and V Karpagam (38), B Saritha (40), M Kumar and S Venkatesh (33) from Dharmapuri.
According to sources in Health Department, earlier this month a 27-year-old woman had arrived at Dharmapuri to identify the sex of her unborn fetus and after determining the sex of the baby, the couple attempted an abortion from a quack.
Without any proper medical training, the abortion attempt failed and the 27-year-old was rushed to a private hospital, from where she was sent to the Krishnagiri Medical College Hospital. Even though, where she was rescued, the fetus died. Doctors who rescued the woman found that 'Laparotomy' was performed and notified the Krishnagiri Health department.
Subsequently, the Krishnagiri Health Department informed Joint Director of Health, D Malarvizhi Vallal. A special team was formed and began investigating. On Saturday, the Pre Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic, District Advisory Committee (PCPNDT) received a tip-off that an illegal sex determination and abortion racket was functioning near Rajapettai. Based on the complaint the Dharmapuri B1 Police investigated the matter.
According to Police sources, many pregnant women are visiting the area. The health department team had also notified that recently four women had visited this home and had the sex of their fetus determined. Upon investigation, we went to the spot and recovered a Portable Scan Machine and later found that the person involved with the sex determination and abortion racket was a quack.
He was immediately arrested and upon further investigation, police arrested six other people who were involved with the racket, sources said. They were booked under 419,420 IPC and 15 (2) of the IMC act. They were later remanded into judicial custody.