E-Paper
Illegal sexual health clinics in Bengaluru disappear after ₹48 lakh fraud case: Report
Bengaluru's notorious roadside health tents have largely vanished after a shocking fraud case, but the demand for quick sexual health solutions persists.
Bengaluru has been seeing bright tents lining bus stands and crowded junctions that promised “sure-shot cures” for sexual problems, stress and anxiety, for years. With bold lettering and instant solutions, they drew in people weighed down by embarrassment and fear of being judged. Today, those tents have largely disappeared from the city’s main roads, but the business itself reportedly hasn’t vanished. It has quietly slipped into residential bylanes and highway edges, away from watchful eyes.
The trigger for this sudden retreat was a shocking fraud case that jolted the city. A software engineer seeking help for sexual health issues after marriage was allegedly cheated of ₹48 lakh by a fake healer operating from a tent near Kengeri, said a report by the Deccan Herald. What made the case even more disturbing was the medical fallout: the man reportedly suffered severe kidney damage after consuming so-called “herbal” medicines, exposing the danger behind these roadside cures.
Following the incident, Bengaluru Police launched an aggressive crackdown. Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said all stations were instructed to identify and shut down illegal treatment centres, as per the report. Certificate checks revealed that none of the operators were authorised, the report added. The police have now asked health authorities to create a clearer verification system for traditional medicine practitioners and tightened beat patrols to prevent their return.
Doctors told the publication that enforcement alone won’t solve the problem. Sexual health issues are far more common than people admit, affecting both men and women. Yet, experts argued that India’s healthcare system does not adequately address sexual medicine, leaving patients confused about where to seek help. This vacuum, is exactly what quacks exploit with flashy promises and fear-based marketing, they said.
The health risks are serious. City hospitals are seeing more patients with kidney failure linked to unregulated “herbal” drugs laced with steroids, painkillers or heavy metals, the report stated. Gynaecologists warned that women taking these medicines without tests risk hormonal damage, infections and excessive bleeding.
ALSO READ | Cold wave grips Bengaluru: Drop in minimum temperatures, fog disrupts commute
The state government has now acknowledged that temporary evictions aren’t enough. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has said stronger, long-term measures are under discussion, as many quacks simply relocate and restart, the report further stated.
Ground reports suggested the tents may be fewer, but demand remains strong, the report noted. New “mystery clinics” continued to surface, discreetly catering to young men seeking quick fixes, it added.
