Indebted couples bid to sell their kidneys

KURNOOL: Three debt-ridden persons, including a married couple, made a desperate bid to sell their kidneys at Kurnool government hospital on Monday.The trio reached the hospital and began searching for buyers since morning.However, after sometime, mediapersons, who spotted them, counselled them that selling organs was a crime.Knowing that none would come forward to strike a deal in public, the trio returned home disappointed.Erukala Devamma (39), a resident of Brahmareddy Praja Vaidyasala area in Bethamcherla mandal headquarters, is a daily wage labourer.Her husband, K Subbarayudu, estranged her nine years ago. Since then, Devamma, single-handedly, brought up her daughter, Sumalatha (20), and got her married to Nagaraju, Devamma's younger brother, three years ago.In this process, she borrowed money to the tune of `1 lakh. Of this, she spent `50,000 on Sumalatha's illness and the remaining on her marriage. Including the interest, Devamma's debts increased to `2 lakh.Finding it hard to clear the debts, Devamma decided to part with one of her kidneys.Devamma's neighbour, Moulabi (33), is also debtridden.Her husband Ismail (40), works in a hotel but owing to some illness, he is irregular to duty.They have a son Mian (9) and daughter Mabasha (6).To make both ends meet, Moulabi took debts amounting to `1.5 lakh.Unable to clear the debts and face those who lent the money to them, Devamma and Moulabi, on being advised by some others, decided to sell their kidneys.The three reached Kurnool government hospital this morning.