Two held for taking pregnant women to identify sex of foetus in Dharmapuri

COIMBATORE: Officials of the Dharmapuri health department nabbed a gang involved in sex determination scans in Dharmapuri after tracking them in a car to Perambalur.

Acting on an alert that pregnant women from Salem and Dharmapuri districts were taken for a scan to carry out sex-selective abortions, a team led by Deputy Director of Health Services (rural) Shanthi followed the car, in which the gang members took two pregnant women from Dharmapuri to Perambalur to carry out sex determination scan.

“The car stopped in front of a house in Sengapuram in Perambalur, when the pregnant women were taken inside. The health department officials then stormed into the house and found the scan machine ready to find out the sex of the foetus of the pregnant women,” said an official.

Two persons identified as Murugan from Cuddalore and Thangamani, a middleman, were involved in the offence. As authorities have enhanced vigil, the gang has shifted their base to Perambalur, claimed officials.

“They have charged Rs 17,500 to take the pregnant woman in a car to Perambalur and to determine the sex of their foetus. Both the women, who were taken to Perambalur already had two girl children and they were lured to Perambalur to know the sex of their third child,” said an official.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that two nurses from Dharmapuri helped the gang in the offence. A detailed inquiry is underway to crack down the entire network of the gang and if they had conducted any illegal abortions.