Coerced into selling part of liver, says Namakkal woman; govt orders probe
The complainant, Baby (37) of Pallipalayam in Namakkal district, claimed that she was coerced into parting with her organ about 1.5 years ago
Representative image
CHENNAI: Even before the shock over the allegations of a kidney sale racket in Namakkal subsided, a 37-year-old debt-stricken woman from the district alleged that she was forced to donate part of her liver by brokers involved in organ trade. Following a formal complaint, the State Health and Family Welfare Department has initiated an investigation into the matter.
The complainant, Baby (37) of Pallipalayam in Namakkal district, claimed that she was coerced into parting with her organ about 1.5 years ago. In her complaint to the police, she stated that she had initially agreed to sell one of her kidneys to settle the mounting debts. However, that plan went awry after doctors in Chennai, who checked her before the procedure, found some issues and said she could not be a donor.
“The brokers then demanded that I pay them the treatment expenses. Under pressure, I was forced to sell a portion of my liver instead for an agreed sum of Rs 8 lakh. However, I was paid only Rs 4.5 lakh. After seeing recent news reports on kidney theft, I decided to approach the police to seek justice," she said in the complaint.
Following the complaint, the State Health and Family Welfare Department ordered an internal inquiry and also lodged a separate complaint, instructing the police to identify all those connected to the racket.
Confirming the matter, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Monday that the department has filed a separate complaint with the police. “Action will be taken against the two brokers. The police have been directed to investigate and initiate appropriate measures," the minister said in Saidapet, where he inspected the Government Hospital.
The fresh complaint comes close on the heels of a flurry of complaints from Namakkal alleging that they were lured to sell their kidneys. Almost all the donors were women, and all of them said they were forced to consider selling their organs due to debts.
After the allegations rocked the State, the Health Department ordered an inquiry. Based on the probe report, the kidney transplant licence of two hospitals was permanently cancelled.
