Illegal medical waste dumping racket busted in Pollachi

Coimbatore, Sep 12 (PTI) An alleged racket involvingdumping of medical waste from Kerala, was busted in nearbyPollachi by an alert group of farmers, on whose tip-off oneperson has been arrested in this connection, police saidtoday. The matter came to light after farmers in CGopalapuram on the outskirts of Pollachi had complained aboutfoul smell emanating from an eight-acre farm land belonging toone Manikandan a few months ago there, police said. However, Manikandan had managed to convince themsaying he was rearing white pigs and the smell could be thatof it. A group of farmers had then noticed small pits thatwere dug up in the farm and decided to monitor the activitiesof Manikandan and kept a close vigil since last night, policesaid. To their surprise, they noticed a mini lorry enteringthe farm around 3 AM and dumping some bags into a pit. Immediately, the farmers rushed to the spot and foundmedical waste and parts of human body in the bags, they said. Though a few persons managed to escape, one ShahulHamid was caught and handed over to police. Hamid has been taken into custody for interrogation,and a hunt is on for Manikandan and others involved in it,police added. PTI NVM ROHROH