Illegal abortion racket busted in Tirupattur
KRISHNAGIRI: A health department team from Krishnagiri busted an illegal scan centre performing sex determination and abortion in neighbouring Tirupathur district on Monday evening. Two people were arrested and the house of a health department staff where the illegal scan centre functioned was sealed.
According to health department sources, two weeks ago, the District Health Officer (DHO) G Ramesh Kumar received a tip-off that sex selective abortion was being performed in Kaveripattinam. Subsequently. a seven- member decoy team was formed comprising six health department staff and a pregnant woman Rekha ( name changed). A member contacted I Niyamathullah (57) of Kaveripattinam on Monday morning seeking to conduct a scan to know the sex of the fetus and abort it if it was female. The person gave another contact number in Tirupathur district.
The source added, “Around 2.30 pm we reached Tirupattur and a woman we contacted asked us to send Rekha alone. Then a man picked up Rekha around 4 pm to Pasumai Nagar and she returned within 25 minutes after knowing the sex of the foetus.”
DHO Ramesh Kumar, who already informed Krishnagiri Collector KM Sarayu, informed Tirupathur collector K Tharpagaraj and SP Albert John. The Tirupathur joint director of health services Kannagi and district health officer Chitrasena Subramanian were also informed and they reached the spot. Ramesh Kumar told TNIE, “A portable scan equipment was found in the house, which was owned by a staff nurse Joshepine Vimala. Also, another staff D Iyappan (29) was also in the spot, who used to pick and drop Karpagam, a quack from Dharmapuri district, every Monday to perform the scanning. Iyappan will pick and drop her from the bus stand to the scan centre. On Monday three pregnant women were on the spot. A person has to give Rs 13, 500 to know the sex of the foetus.”
Following inquiry, on Monday evening, the scan centre was sealed and the two were arrested by Jolarpettai police. Further investigations are under way.
Krishnagiri Collector took the issue to State- level officials, following which an official from the State asked to suspend Josephine Vimala. But till Tuesday night, she was not suspended.
Health department sources said the portable scan equipment used in the illegal activity had a valid licence and was used by a private hospital at Mallasamudram in Namakkal district. The Namakkal district health department team is conducting inquiries.In October last year, health department conducted an operation against illegal scan centre in Krishnagiri and Tirupattur districts. Seven persons were arrested in Tirupathur ( five booked under Goondas Act ) and a woman involved in sex- selective abortion at Kaveripattinam was arrested and she detained under Goondas Act.
On Tuesday evening, Niyamathullah was arrested by Kaveripattinam police, based on the complaint from Kelamangalam Block Development Officer C Rajesh Kumar. Niyamathullah was arrested in 2022 practising allopathy without qualification.
Krishnagiri SP P Thangadurai told TNIE that, an awareness programme will be conducted at all sub- divisions against child marriage, sex selective abortion and foeticide. People can contact 94981 81214, to complain about crime against women, children and foetus.
Dharmapuri district collector K Shanthi told TNIE that Karpagam absconded even before the team reached her.
Health secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi was unavailable for comment. Health minister Ma Subramanian said he was busy in another meeting.