TN: Pregnant Tribal woman goes missing after refusing hospitalisation, police search underway

Chennai, July 15 (IANS) A 25-year-old pregnant tribal woman from Solagar Dhoddi in the Thalavadi Hills of Erode district in Tamil Nadu has gone missing after refusing to be admitted to a hospital for delivery, prompting health officials to file a police complaint seeking assistance in tracing her.

The woman, Shevanthi, wife of Chandran, was scheduled to be taken to the Thalavadi Government Upgraded Primary Health Centre (PHC) for institutional delivery on July 7. However, when health workers arrived at her residence in Solagar Dhoddi to escort her, she and her family members were found missing.

Initially, the family had been in touch with staff at the Government PHC in Bynapuram and had assured cooperation. But soon after, their mobile phones were switched off, and their whereabouts became unknown.

Despite repeated visits by health officials, including Village Health Nurse P. Jothi, no useful information could be obtained. During a follow-up visit on Monday, a family member vaguely responded, “Shevanthi is fine, but we do not know where she is.”

Health officials had assured the family that Shevanthi would be taken only to the local government health centre, with full transportation and medical support to ensure the safety of both mother and child.

Despite these assurances, the family remained uncooperative and reluctant to share her location. Faced with continued resistance and no leads, the health team filed a formal complaint with the Thalavadi police.

Officers visited the woman’s residence and have begun inquiries. Police sources confirmed that efforts are underway to trace the mobile phones of family members and gather other possible leads to locate the missing woman.

S. Kannaiyan, president of the Thalavadi Farmers’ Federation, praised the dedication of the health officials and highlighted the need for awareness programmes in tribal areas to dispel misconceptions about institutional deliveries.

“There is a lot of fear and misunderstanding about hospital deliveries in these communities. Awareness is key to ensuring the safety of mothers and newborns,” he said.

Police and health officials continue their search, expressing concern over the health and well-being of both the mother and her unborn child.

--IANS

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