Two arrested for attempting to determine sex of foetus in Tirupattur

Two persons were arrested by Vaniyambadi Taluk police in Tirupattur district on Saturday for conducting a sex determination test and attempting abortion of a foetus.

Police identified the arrested persons as K. Indrarani, 60, and S. Geetha, 45. They are residents of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.

Initial inquiry revealed that V. Jagadeesan, 34, and his wife J. Pavithra, 28, both wage labourers, have two daughters.

As Pavithra became pregnant again, the couple reportedly got in touch with Indrarani and Geetha through agents to conduct a sex determination test, and found that the fetus was a girl. As the couple did not want a third girl child, they allegedly sought help from Indrarani and Geetha to abort the foetus.

Subsequently, the accused came to Jagadeesan’s house in Girisamudiram village on Saturday. Based on a tip-off, a team of health officials led by N. Kalu Sivalingam, District Health Officer (DHO) and S. Aravind, health officer, inspected the house and found medical equipment.

Police said, along with police personnel from Vaniyambadi Taluk, the team conducted an inquiry with the suspects, who confessed that they were roped in by the couple to abort the foetus.

Police said a case was registered under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971. Later, two suspects were lodged at a sub-jail in Tirupattur town. Further probe is under way.