CUDDALORE: A 67-year-old woman quack from Vadalur was arrested by Chidambaram Taluk police on Monday evening for allegedly selling a five-day-old baby for Rs 2 lakh. The Cuddalore District Child Protection Unit rescued the baby and took it into custody.
According to sources, a woman residing in Sokkanaathanpettai village near Chidambaram was found with a five-day-old baby. Locals informed the Childline organisation in Cuddalore on Saturday, following which an inquiry was initiated. The investigation revealed that the baby had been sold to the woman by a relative for Rs 2 lakh.
Following this, the District Child Protection Unit rescued the baby and shifted it to Cuddalore. A complaint was lodged by Chitradevi, a field officer with the Unit, at the Chidambaram Taluk police station.
Based on the complaint, police arrested K Sathyapriya (67) of Vadalur, who operated Gokulam Medical Home without the necessary qualifications. Police said she was impersonating as an allopathic doctor and performed illegal abortions and deliveries for underage girls and women who conceived before marriage.
“She performed illegal abortions and delivered babies for underage girls and women who got pregnant before marriage. After brainwashing the mothers and relatives, she used to sell the babies to the couples without children for money,” said police.
Officials confirmed that the baby sold to the woman in Sokkanaathanpettai was one such case. Based on information from police, health and family welfare department officials inspected Gokulam Medical Home and sealed the premises after seizing medicines and equipment on Monday.
Police sources said, “Earlier she was booked under Section 81 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, for the offence of selling or procuring children for any purpose, and later Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating and Section 15(C) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, were included against her.”
Police also said that though she claimed to be a Siddha doctor, she had previously worked as a helper in a private hospital at Vadalur and used that experience to run a medical home and pose as an allopathic doctor.
Sathyapriya was produced before the Chidambaram court and remanded in judicial custody on Monday night.