The blood of athlete Pinki Pramanik, whose gender is under question following accusation of rape, was collected at the State-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata for chromosomal test on Monday.
“The hospital collected Pramanik’s blood for karyotyping — a chromosomal test — to determine the athlete’s gender as per a court order. It will be sent to some other medical facility and the results are expected in another seven to 10 days,” hospital superintendent T. K. Ghosh told The Hindu .
A district court had directed that necessary tests to ascertain the athlete’s gender be conducted. Since the SSKM Hospital does not have necessary facilities for karyotyping, the hospital authorities said the blood had to be sent elsewhere.
On June 25, Pramanik underwent some other tests at the hospital. Dr. Ghosh said that hese included clinical, radiological and hormonal tests to ascertain the athlete’s gender.
Prior to that, Pramanik was subjected to tests at a district hospital in North 24 Parganas.
When questions were raised on the athlete being subjected to many tests, the hospital authorities said that they are only following the court’s directive.
“Tests are being conducted as per the process. There is no question of any harassment. The court has asked the district hospital to conduct tests which had referred it to the SSKM Hospital,” Dr. Ghosh said.
A middle-distance runner, who retired from athletics in 2007, Pramanik was arrested after a neighbour, in a complaint, alleged that she was raped by the athlete. She said Pramanik was actually a man who repeatedly raped and tortured her.
Pramanik was arrested on June 14 and has been in judicial custody since then.
