Daijiworld Media Network - Ramanagara (SP)

Ramanagara, Jul 9: A woman who had raised loan to fight panchayat election was forced to sell one of her kidneys in order to be able to clear her mounting debt.

28-year-old Lalita (name changed), wife of Venkatesh from Nagashettihalli in the district has sold off her kidney. At present, she is being treated at the government hospital at Magadi, where she is recuperating after she fell sick subsequent to the kidney removal surgery.

Lalita, who fought panchayat election from Taggikuppe gram panchayat three years ago, had lost the election by a margin of two votes. She had raised loan of about two lac rupees for fighting this election, and together with interest, the outstanding loan amount had crossed three lac rupees. The couple, who worked as coolies in the village, rented a room at Bengaluru and joined a garmants factory in that city to clear off the dues, but failed to achieve much headway in achieving their purpose.

As the financiers continued to bring pressure on the couple, they decided to sell off a kidney. Lalita came in contact during this period with Srinivas, a garments dealer from Cubbonpet Bengaluru, who was in need of a kidney donor for his mother, who was suffering from kidney failure. He offered to pay three lac rupees if Lalita was prepared to sell her kidney.

For convenience, Srinivas allegedly created fake records to show that his wife, Shweta, was donating her kidney for her mother-in-law. As is mandatory, police inquiry was also conducted at Cubbonpet police station relating to kidney donor. On the basis of these documents, Lalita's kidney was transplanted to the mother of Srinivas.

Lalita cleared her loan with three lac rupees paid to her by Srinivas. Her sutures are yet to be removed, and she is bedridden as she has fallen ill. After she revealed to her mother what had happened, subsequent to suffering from unbearable pain in the abdomen, her mother accused her son-in-law for being responsible for the present health condition of her daughter. Thereafter, Lalita's husband took her away to Nagashettihalli, after which the issue became public. Fearing backlash, Lalita's husband has gone underground, it is gathered.

The Magadi station police, who have registered a case on their own, have begun investigation. They have visited the spot and begun gathering details. Ramanagara superintendent of police, Dr Chandragupta, refused to guess about the kidney racket which once thrived in the state, as the investigation is in the initial stages. He said a clearer picture will emerge once the investigation is completed.