A 67-year-old retired government woman doctor in the district has been arrested for causing the death of a 23-year-old pregnant woman who took drugs prescribed for illegal abortion.
Besides Dr. Thenmozhi, the Jayamkondam police arrested Sakthidevi, a nurse, and Vetriselvi, a helper, in the clinic run by the doctor at T. Palur on Sunday.
The arrest was the outcome of an investigation by the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Jayamkondam following the death of V. Ramana, 23, of Pudhukudi village in Andimadam taluk in the district. Married five years ago, Ramana has two children. The woman, who became pregnant, allegedly wanted to go for abortion and is said to have approached Sakthidevi and went to the clinic twice.
On the alleged advice and drugs prescribed by the doctor, Ramana is said to have consumed it for illegal termination of pregnancy. The woman, who developed complications after consuming the drugs, went to the clinic from where she was referred to the Government Hospital at Ariyalur for treatment. Doctors removed the foetus from the woman’s womb and thereafter referred her to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital where she died a few days ago.
The Jayamkondam police initially registered a case under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure following the death of Ramana acting on a complaint from the victim’s mother. While conducting an investigation into the death and after inquiries with the victim’s husband Veeramani, the Jayamkondam police arrested the woman doctor and two others.
The case was altered under IPC Sections 312 (causing miscarriage), 314 (death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage), 315 (act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth) 304 (1) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Those arrested were later sent in remand.
