The Jolarpet police on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, arrested a couple on charges of running an illegal scan centre in Jolarpet town in Tirupattur district. The scan centre had been operating for more than six months and had been involved in the illegal determination of the sex of fetuses and abortions, police said.
The police seized a two-wheeler, scan equipment, drugs and medical equioment from the centre. The arrests and seizures came after B. Kannagi, joint director, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Tirupattur) got a tip-off that a centre in Pasumai Nagar was performing abortions illegally.
Based on a complaint by Ms. Kannagi, the Jolarpet police and a team of health officials checked the centre and found that it was practicing sex determination. Health officials found used medical equipment, prescriptions, used syringes, capsules and other medical equipment inside the clinic. The team seized equipment, including blood pressure devices, stethoscopes, and syringes.
The police arrested K. Ayyapan (30), and his wife A. Gangagowri (25), who hail from Rachamangalam village. Inquiries revealed that the couple had been conducting sex determination at the centre and performing abortions for more than six months.
The police booked them under sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and different sections of the Medical Counselling Act and Medical Termination of Pregnant Act. Later, the couple were lodged at the sub-jail in Tirupattur town.
