Mystery over Pinki's gender continues

The mystery over the gender of Asian Games gold medalist Pinki Pramanik continued as the karyotyping test to determine the chromosome pattern could not be held at the state's referral SSKM Hospital.

An 11-member medical team on Monday conducted various tests on the long-distance runner at the SSKM hospital but the most crucial test to determine the gender still could not be held.

"In our clinical examination, we conducted several tests. But the karyotyping could not be held here. We have the karyotyping facility but only for research purpose," said Tamal Kanti Ghosh, medical superintendent of SSKM Hospital, on Monday.

Asked where they would send the sample, Ghosh said, "There are facilities in Mumbai, Hyderabad among others. But we are yet to decide on it. We have to submit our reports at the chief judicial magistrate by June 29."

Six days earlier, a seven-member specialists at the Barasat General Hospital could not establish Pramanik's gender because of inadequate facilities and the former long-distance runner's case was sent to the state's only referral hospital.

"There was ambiguity in the reports we got. We don't have the facilities for chromosome and hormone tests. We did the ultrasonography, but all the tests could not be done", Chief Medical Officer of North 24 Parganas district Dr Sukanta Sil had said after Pramanik's medical tests on Tuesday.

X-ray, scan and blood samples could not be taken because of lack of proper facilities at the Barasat General Hospital.

The final report has to be submitted to the court by June 29.

Pramanik is in judicial custody accused of rape and of being 'male'.

Pramanik, who won the 4x400m relay gold in the 2006 Doha Asian Games, was arrested on June 14 after being accused of multiple sexual assault and misrepresentation of gender by a 30-year-old estranged woman who had a live-in relationship with the athlete for two years.

The middle distance runner, who had won five gold medals and one silver between 2005 and 2006, officially retired the next year, but there were reports that the athlete was not allowed in a Madurai national meet because of 'excessive male hormones'.