Quack held, huge quantity of banned drugs seized

Shanmughasundaram J| TNN | 

Aug 13, 2017, 08:12 PM IST

Vellore: Health department officials on Saturday arrested a quack and seized a cache of drugs, including banned drugs, during surprise inspections in two places in the district on Saturday.

Joint director (JD) of medical and rural health services, Vellore, Dr A Shanti, along with drug inspector Deivanai and revenue department officials, conducted a raid at Sri Thiruamalai Blood Lab at Kurusilapet village.

"We conducted the raid at Kurusilapet following a direction from Collector (S A Raman) regarding a quack, Kannan. We caught him red-handed when he was treating a woman. We also found a young mother with her three month-old child waiting at the clinic," said the JD (in-charge) Shanthi. He, however, managed to escape from the officials. The police have registered a case in this regard and launched a search for him.

Kannan had been running the clinic-cum-lab in a rented portion that converted into three rooms.

The inquiry revealed that Kannan, a B A graduate, had been running the clinic in the name of Shri Thirumalai Blood for over four years in the village. The officials also found banned drugs such as Nimusulide, which is used as a pain killer and to reduce fever.

"Nimusulide tablets were banned three years ago, but Kannan had stocked a large number of these tablets," added the JD.

In the second raid conducted at Reddiyur, the team arrested Sankar who had been running a clinic in the village. He was arrested three months ago by the health department officials. However, he resumed his practice after getting out on bail.

"We found third generation drugs and antibiotics like amikacin in his clinic. He has been administering and prescribing such drugs to the villagers," she added. The officials were clueless that how the quacks managed to source the third generation drugs and banned drugs.

Sankar was arrested and handed over to the Jolarpet police along with the seized drugs.

The police have registered a case under the provision of the Tamil Nadu Private Clinic Establishment (regulation) Act 1997 and the Indian Medical Council Act 1996.