NEW DELHI: Six years after winning silver at the 2006 Commonwealth games, India's Pinky Pramanik, a former international track and field star from West Bengal, was arrested after it was alleged she is male and charged with raping a woman. The victim logged a police complaint in Baguiati police station, in Kolkata, West Bengal accusing Pramanik of raping her. The victim who was also her neighbor accused the athlete of repeatedly raping and torturing her. The runner had won gold in the 4x400m relay at 2006 Doha Asiad, gold in the 2006 Asian games and gold at the 2005 Asian Indoor games. In the 2006 South Asian games Pramanik had won 3 gold medals in the 400 and 800m event along with the relay. An official of the Athletics Federation of India also said that Pramanik would be stripped off the medals if she were proved a male. Earlier this week an eleven member medical team at the SSKM Medical hospital in Kolkata conducted various tests on Pramanik. Tamal Ghosh, medical superintendent of SSKM Hospital said, “In our medical examination, we conducted several tests. But the karyotyping could not be held here." Pramanik was later taken to the forensic department of another hospital on Monday where she had undergone an MRI and USG tests. Sources said the reports of the tests are to be submitted to the court by June 29th. The initial clinical reports suggested that Pramanik's gender is vague as she had both male and female reproductive organs. Tests conducted by a medical team in a government run hospital had also suggested the same. Pramanik retired from athletics after she met with a road accident three years ago. Following her numerous wins in 2005 and 2006 there were also rumors of the athlete not being allowed at the Madurai national meet for having excessive male hormone.
