Six Arrested for Illegal Abortions in Cuddalore, Including Medical Couple

Swift Summary

• Six persons, including a couple, were arrested in Cuddalore’s Pudupalayam for conducting illegal abortions.
• The accused include Sivagurunathan (55), Uma Maheshwari (40), Moorthy (37), Veeramani (36), abiyas (50), and Thangam (43).
• Sivagurunathan and Uma Maheshwari ran an unregistered vocational training institute falsely claiming to be doctors.
• Police seized abortion kits, surgical instruments, and pills during a raid following complaints by Health Department officials.
• Sivagurunathan has a background in B.Sc Agriculture, while uma Maheshwari studied nursing.
• The institute’s registration had not been renewed for three years and had been operating illegally.
• A case was filed under Sections 61(2) and 318(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 34 of the National Medical Commission Act.
• All six accused were remanded to custody after being presented in court.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The arrests in Cuddalore underline critical gaps in regulation and enforcement concerning unauthorized medical practices. Running an unregistered vocational institute while performing illegal abortions highlights systemic issues such as unchecked claims of individuals without proper qualifications posing as healthcare providers. This also raises concerns about awareness among communities regarding licensed medical services.

Illegal abortion practices pose important risks to public health-both from unsafe procedures that endanger women’s lives and from undermining legitimate healthcare systems offering medically approved methods for reproductive care. Strengthened oversight mechanisms,regular monitoring of such institutions,and increased public education initiatives are necessary to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Read more: [Link unavailable]