Bihar: Police arrest 3 involved in ‘black marketing’ of blood, 62 units recovered
The Purnia police on Saturday claimed to have busted a racket involved in black marketing of blood and plasma with the arrest of three persons on Friday evening
The Purnia police on Saturday claimed to have busted a racket involved in black marketing of blood and plasma with the arrest of three persons on Friday evening.
Sixty two units of blood and plasma were also seized from their possession, officials said.
Police said the arrested persons extorted money from patients in various private hospitals/nursing homes in Purnia and its neighbouring districts.
The racket’s mastermind is a staff of a private hospital in Purnia, said station house officer (SHO) of Sadar police station Madhurendra Kishor.
“Acting on a tip-off, a police team carried out a raid at Kaptanpara locality near Line Bazar, known as medical hub of the region, late Friday evening and recovered 36 units of blood and plasma from a refrigerator, besides needles and other tools used in extracting blood,” the SHO said.
Later, in another raid at another house in Purnia town area, police recovered 26 units of blood and plasma, the SHO said.
During interrogation, police found that the racket was also operational in neighbouring Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj districts.
Police sources said possibility of involvement of private hospitals and nursing homes in the racket cannot be ruled out, adding, “Several names have already come up during interrogation.”
Elaborating the modus operandi of the racket, the SHO said,“They used to lure poor people and extract their blood for ₹400-500 per unit. Later, they sold it at an exorbitant price from ₹1,500-2,500 per unit, depending on severity of the case.”
A senior doctor posted at a hospital Purnia district, requesting anonymity, said, “The racket made huge money during the pandemic when there was an acute shortage of blood. The racket also sold blood to the thalassemia patients.”
Meanwhile, police started a probe of involvement of private hospitals and nursing homes in black marketing of blood.
