Kidney Racket Uncovered in Visakhapatnam
A major kidney racket has been uncovered in Visakhapatnam, exposing a network of brokers, doctors, and hospital staff allegedly involved in the illegal organ trade. Police say the operation has been active for years, mainly in working-class colonies where families struggle with poverty and debt.
Investigators have focused on Vambay Colony in Madhurawada, a resettlement area built in 2005 under the Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana. The colony houses about 15,000 residents in 2,208 flats, most working as daily wagers, vendors, or domestic helpers. Brokers reportedly approach financially distressed residents, offering large payments for kidney donations but paying only a small fraction after surgery.
The latest victim, Sadi Yamuna (29), a widow and mother of a 10-year-old boy, died recently at a private hospital in Madanapalle, Chittoor district. Police suspect her death is linked to the racket. Her parents, Sooramma and Narasinga Raju, have accused Suribabu of Marikavalasa of introducing her to those behind the trade.
In December 2022, G. Vinay Kumar (34) from Vambay Colony was promised Rs 8 lakh for donating a kidney but received only Rs 2 lakh after surgery at Tirumala Hospital, Pendurthi. His complaint exposed deeper ties between brokers and medical staff. Another victim, V. Srinivasa Rao, was also linked to the same hospital.
A similar case surfaced in 2019 at Sraddha Hospital, where mediator Manjunatha, nephrologist Dr. D. Prabhakar, and HR officer Kumar Rao were arrested for 66 suspicious transplants. In another complaint, Moola Venkata Satyanarayana Gopi alleged he paid Rs 10 lakh to a broker who vanished after promising a donor for Rs 27 lakh.
Police say the racket is widespread and well-organized, exploiting poverty under the pretext of medical need. Investigations are ongoing to trace all those involved.