The dust around the Namakkal kidney trafficking scandal is yet to settle and allegations of liver trafficking have begun to be heard in the same district of Tamil Nadu.
In another disturbing case linked to alleged illegal organ transplantation, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) has directed health authorities in Namakkal district to investigate an alleged incident involving the sale of a liver by a 37-year-old woman from Pallipalayam. The woman reportedly underwent the procedure at a private hospital in Chennai, allegedly to clear her mounting debts.
According to officials, the case came to light through media coverage. While no formal complaint has been received so far, the DMS has taken the reports seriously and initiated a preliminary inquiry.
Media reports suggest that the woman was taken to Chennai by middlemen who initially promised her ₹8 lakh in exchange for donating a kidney. However, after being deemed unfit for kidney donation, she was reportedly persuaded to donate a portion of her liver instead, for ₹4.5 lakh.
The woman further alleged that her gall bladder was also removed during the procedure without her knowledge or consent. She had agreed to sell her organ in a desperate attempt to repay a high-interest loan. Having separated from her husband, she was the sole caregiver for her children at the time of the incident.
Speaking to the media on 18 August 2025, Health Minister Ma Subramanian confirmed his awareness of the case. He stated that two agents had already been booked in connection with a separate kidney trafficking case. The minister also emphasized that any additional hospitals found to be involved in organ trading would face strict action.
This case follows the recent exposure of an organ trafficking network in Namakkal district, which specifically targeted handloom workers, coaxing them into selling their kidneys. In response, the health department established a committee led by S. Vineeth, Project Director of the Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Programme, to investigate the matter.
Based on the findings of this committee, kidney transplant licenses of two hospitals, Cethar Hospital in Tiruchy and Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Hospital in Perambalur, have been suspended due to their alleged involvement. Authorities have confirmed that further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the racket in the district.
(With inputs from The New Indian Express)
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