The Assam Police have busted a gang allegedly involved in selling human organs after the arrest last week of a woman, who allegedly lured unemployed people to sell their kidneys.
The woman, Lilimai Bodo, was arrested after she went looking for “donors”. Police said the gang would allegedly offer around ₹5 lakhs for a kidney. Police said around a dozen people from the state’s Morigaon district allegedly sold their kidneys to the gang, which would get the organs removed in Kolkata. They added Bodo’s son and another person have also been arrested and a search was on for more accused.
“Till now, we have arrested three persons. In their statements, the accused have revealed the names of few more persons involved in the racket. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest them,” said Morigaon district police superintendent Aparna N on Thursday.
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Police cited their probe and said most of the victims were lured since the pandemic struck last year as many of them were unable to repay bank loans or were left jobless. They added the racket was active for four to five years.
{{/usCountry}}Police cited their probe and said most of the victims were lured since the pandemic struck last year as many of them were unable to repay bank loans or were left jobless. They added the racket was active for four to five years.
{{/usCountry}}Srikanta Das, one of the persons who sold his kidney, said he was in desperate need of money to get his son, who has a hole in his heart, treated. “As I had no work since last year due to (Covid-19) lockdown, selling a kidney seemed to be the only option. I was promised ₹5 lakh, but given only a fraction of that amount,” Das told local journalists this week.
Krishna Das, another person who sold her kidney, said she was forced to do so as she failed to repay a loan taken from a micro-finance company. She, too, was promised ₹5 lakh but received ₹3.5 lakh.
Reports said nearly 30 people have “donated” their kidneys but only a handful have approached the police.
Aparna N said since the matter came to light, they have been trying to gather details of all persons who may have been duped. “Till date, we have found 11 persons. All of them are from two villages in Morigaon district.”
Local media reports suggested the racket could be linked to several such cases in other districts of the state. Police said those arrested in Morigaon do not seem to have been operating elsewhere.
Buying and selling of human organs are prohibited under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act. Organs can be donated to close relatives, others in need of transplantation for medical reasons after proper authorisation.