Hello,

The sale of organs is illegal in India. Under the law, anyone who participates in the trade, such as by seeking out potential sellers, is liable to be imprisoned.
In a town in Tamil Nadu, however, the practice of selling kidneys is so commonplace that, in some quarters, nearly everyone has either given up an organ or knows someone who has done so.
As Johanna Deeksha found, travelling to the town, in Namakkal district, many who sell kidneys are textile workers who face immense financial distress as a result of the sector's decline in the state. Often, they are persuaded to sell by brokers, who have deep networks in the region, and learn quickly of families in financial strife.
Walking around one quarter, Deeksha met "one woman after another who sold her kidney to pay off loans". She noted, "These are sometimes just small loans. These women are so vulnerable to exploitation, they have no proof or records to claim their money when they get cheated."
Further, she added, "The government must do more to ensure people don't feel that selling their organs is the only way out of debt."
You can read the story here.

And you can support more such in-depth and investigative reporting by signing up as a member of Scroll.

Ajay Krishnan
Senior Editor

Follow the Scroll channel on WhatsApp for a curated selection of the news that matters throughout the day, and a round-up of major developments in India and around the world every evening. What you won’t get: Spam.

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Why a textile town became the hub of illegal organ trade

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