Sex determination racket: Woman among three arrested in Dharmapuri

COIMBATORE: A gang of three persons including a woman was arrested for running a sex determination racket in Dharmapuri.

Acting on a tip, a team of health department staff busted the gang following a surprise inspection at the house of Sakkammal, 52 alias Punithavathi at Vaguthanur near Morappur in Dharmapuri on Sunday.

Her house was doubled up as an illegal sex determination clinic and two others, identified as Kaviarasan, 28, and Ayyanar, 34 were part of the racket. Revealing the sex of the fetus is prohibited by the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT), 1994. During the inspection, the health department authorities spotted the accused involved in determining the gender of the fetus of a woman in the house.

“Then Sakkammal broke into a confrontation and refused to open the door. Soon, the police arrived and helped the health department officials to enter the house,” police said.

An ultrasonography machine, which costs around a few lakh, Rs 38,000 in cash, and other medical equipment were seized. An inquiry revealed that they charged between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 to determine the sex of the fetus. Also, they made arrangements for abortion based on the sex of the baby.

Police said Sakkammal, who worked as a maid on a contractual basis in a government hospital had stopped going to work during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and resorted to illegal sex determination.

An inquiry is on to know their network and how many were duped so far by the gang. Meanwhile, the woman was lodged in Salem Central Prison, while two others were sent to Dharmapuri sub-jail.