Minor girl sexually assaulted, forced to sell her eggs 8 times over 3 years in Tamil Nadu

A shocking story of prolonged sexual assault which involved a minor girl being forced to sell her eggs to fertility clinics has rocked Tamil Nadu. The culprits in the traumatic case involve the victim’s mother and has two hospitals under scanner for illegal ovum trade.

The 16-year-old girl was sexually exploited by her mother’s lover and was forced to sell her eggs in an ordeal that continued for over 3 years. Unable to bear the trauma, the girl finally run away from home to a relative’s place and filed a complaint to the police. The probe opened a can of worms.

As per the minor’s complaint, she was sexually exploited since she was 12 years of age by her mother’s lover. Her eggs was sold 8 times for which at each sale her mother was given Rs 20,000. The police in Erode on Friday arrested the mother of the girl, her lover and an agent who used to help in the illegal ovum trade. Another person was arrested for tempering with evidence. The four have been charged under the Prevention of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

A special medical team was dispatched by the state authorities to talk to the minor girl. She was forced to sell her eggs 8 times to private fertility clinics in Perundurai (Erode), Salem and Hosur in the state. Enquiry was also done at the hospitals where she was forced to donate her eggs. Two hospitals were sent summons on Friday. Officials from the hospitals were questioned for five hours.

The incident coming to light has led the state health department to plan a state-wide crackdown on such illegal practices by hospitals, sources were quoted as saying.

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(With inputs from news agencies)