CM orders probe into kidney sale

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR, MAY 16. The issue of kidney trade by some farmers of Rentachintala in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh has taken a new turn with the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, directing the District Collector, Mr. Hiralal Samariya, to get it probed and submit a report.

Meanwhile, the police picked up two persons who allegedly acted as agents for luring the farmers into selling their kidneys.

Police sources said that Rankireddy Sathraghavulu (34) of Eluru and Sanjeeva Srinivasa Murthy (40) of Guntur were picked up in this connection. A case under Section 326 of the IPC (Voluntarily causing hurt to a person resulting in endangering of life) was registered against them based on a ``complaint from some of the victims.'' However, the arrests would be officially shown only after the two were was produced before a magistrate. The police reportedly questioned Mr. Pullaiah of Kambhampadu, who was the first to lure the farmers of Rentachintala to donate their kidneys. While the kidney sellers of Rentachintala told The Hindu that Mr. Pullaiah only underwent the fitness tests, but could donate his kidney as he failed to get through, the police are suspecting that he must have donated a kidney.

Mr. Hiralal Samariya deputed the District Medical and Health Officer, Dr. B. Purnachandra Rao, to inquire into the matter. The Collector said that the district administration would submit a report to the Government on the circumstances leading to the kidney trade. Mr. Samariya asserted that the sale of kidneys had nothing to do with the drought conditions in the district. Rentachintala was not declared a drought- affected mandal. Besides, according to reports, the transactions of kidney trafficking had been taking place for more than three years.

Meanwhile, the police sources said that they could initiate legal proceedings in the case by treating it as a cognizable offence under Section 22 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, only after the ``appropriate authority'' appointed by the State Government as per Section 13 of the Act lodges a complaint of violation of the law by anybody. Once the appropriate authority takes up the matter and seeks the legal intervention, the police can initiate investigation by registering cases against the touts, who lured the farmers into the trade of kidneys, the doctors, who performed the surgeries, the institutions where the surgeries were performed, and even the sellers, as per Section 19 of the Act.

The names of the eight persons who confirmed their selling of kidneys at Rentachintala were: Messrs. Golla Rama Swamy (33), Bobba Venkata Reddy (32), Peram Latchi Reddy (45), Durgampudi China Venkata Reddy (30), Dirisinala Narsi Reddy (35), Siddampudi Poli Reddy (30), Naramala Krishna (30) and Kancherla Krishna (30).

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Section  : Regional
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