Rape accused Pinki Pramanik undergoes sex test

Kolkata: Asian Games gold medallist athlete Pinki Pramanik, accused of being a male and currently remanded in judicial custody for alleged rape, underwent a gender determination test Tuesday, police said.

"Pramanik underwent a gender determination test at a government hospital Tuesday. The report would be available shortly," Rajib Kumar, commissioner of police for Bidhannagar (North 24-Parganas), said.

A seven-member medical board was constituted at the Barasat sub-divisional hospital where the athlete underwent the test.

The athlete had earlier twice refused to undergo the test.

Pramanik was arrested late Thursday night and remanded in 14 days' judicial custody by a court Friday after the athlete's live-in partner, a divorcee and a mother of one, filed a police complaint accusing the athlete of being a male who repeatedly "raped and tortured" her.

Subsequent to the arrest, Pramanik was taken to a private nursing home for a medical check-up where the test reports showed that the former athlete was indeed a male.

Pramanik, however, claimed innocence and said it was a conspiracy.

Pramanik, who retired from athletics three years ago, won gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha in Qatar. She was a silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year.

The Eastern Railway with which the athlete is a ticket collector Sunday suspended Pramanik following her remand to judicial custody. (IANS)