Foetus sex determination racket busted in Salem; portable scanner seized
A team of Health Department officials from Krishnagiri district busted a sex-determination racket in Salem district on Thursday evening, acting on a tip-off. The operation took place at Konakaradu in Muthunaickenpatti panchayat, where the team reportedly found a person scanning pregnant women and revealing the sex of foetuses for a fee of ₹23,000 per woman.
The accused, identified later as Sukumar (50) of Thirupathur district, managed to flee on seeing the officials. The Health Department team seized a portable scanning machine and a car belonging to him, and alerted the Tholasampatti police. Joint Director for Health Services (Salem) Nandhini visited the spot and conducted an inquiry.
According to police, Sukumar has several pending cases against him and had earlier been detained under the Goondas Act, which allows preventive detention of habitual offenders. The Tholasampatti police registered a case based on a complaint from Omalur Government Hospital Chief Medical Officer (in-charge) Kaniamuthu, and are on the lookout for the accused.
Two pregnant women from Dharmapuri district, who reportedly came for illegal scanning, were also questioned by the health officials.
The bust highlights the continuing challenge of enforcing the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994, which prohibits sex determination of foetuses and sex-selective abortion. The Act regulates the use of ultrasound machines and other diagnostic techniques that can reveal the sex of a foetus, and requires thorough record-keeping by registered medical practitioners.
Despite stringent legal provisions, illegal operations often continue in rural and semi-urban areas, driven by deep-rooted societal preference for male children. The sex ratio in several districts of Tamil Nadu has historically been skewed, and health authorities periodically conduct raids and inspections to dismantle such networks.
Officials said the operation was carried out based on specific intelligence and involved a six-member team from Krishnagiri district. The portable nature of the scanning machine indicates the accused was conducting the scans at temporary locations to evade detection. The vehicle used for the operation has been seized for further investigation.
The case now rests with the Tholasampatti police, who will investigate the network of the accused, including potential clients and referrals. Health officials are also verifying whether the women who came for the scans were informed of their rights under the PCPNDT Act, and whether counselling was provided to them as required by law.
Under the PCPNDT Act, first-time offenders face imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of ₹10,000, and subsequent convictions carry harsher penalties. The medical equipment used in such illegal practices is subject to confiscation, and the appropriate authority is empowered to suspend or cancel registration of any facility found violating the law.
The Salem district administration has urged the public to report any instances of sex determination or sex-selective practices to health authorities, emphasising that such acts are legally punishable and also deeply harmful to the broader social fabric. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as police probe the accused's prior record and his links to other districts.
