Erode weaver taken to Ernakulam for kidney, complains wife

K Ravi, a weaver from Kasipalayam in Erode district, was forcibly taken to a private hospital in Ernakulam in Kerala by his money lenders to remove his kidney. Though unwilling, Ravi gave his consent for the surgery as he was promised a huge amount of Rs 5 lakh to settle his loan. 

The incident came to light, when R Samboornam, 37, wife of Ravi petitioned the District Collector seeking his intervention to rescue her husband from Kerala on Tuesday morning. She works as a tailor in a garments firm and the couple has two children, an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. 

“My husband borrowed Rs 3 lakhs from a loan shark to tideover a financial crisis which the family faced three years ago. However we couldn’t repay the borrowed amount. We have been managing to pay only the interest. Exploiting our situation, a ‘kidney broker’ from Avinashi in Tirupur district urged my husband to sell his kidney,” said Sambooranam in her petition. 

Though she objected to selling the kidney, the ‘broker’ convinced Ravi by luring him to pay a hefty amount. “My husband was taken to Ernakulam on Sunday and a surgery was to be performed on him on Tuesday. He left without informing anyone, but told me over phone late on Monday night about his admission in a private hospital,” she said. 

On receiving the petition, Erode District Collector Prabhakaran called up his counterpart in Ernakulam and sought his help in stop the operation. 

In a swift move, the Superintendent of Police R Sivakumar too, on receiving a complaint deputed a team to Ernakulam and rescued Ravi. He was brought back to Erode and an enquiry is on to bust the ‘kidney racket.’ 

Meanwhile, the Collector said loans will be arranged for Ravi through banks. People facing harassment over usury issues in Erode district can call 0424 2260211 to lodge a complaint, he added.