Police are keeping a close watch on a suburban Toronto home that's allegedly tied to a kidney-theft racket in India, where hundreds of poor labourers and farmers claim to be victims.
Interpol is hunting for the alleged ring leader, Dr. Amit Kumar, now known in the Indian media as "Dr. Horror." The police agency says Kumar's wife and two young children live in Canada, and he may have fled to the same country.
Published reports on Sunday suggested Kumar lived in a Brampton home just outside Toronto with his family last year, after buying the house for $610,000. But he hasn't been seen in the area since before Christmas.
Kumar, 40, allegedly told neighbours he was a cardiovascular surgeon.
Kumar and another doctor, 36-year-old Jeevan Rawat, are wanted in India on counts of "illegal transplanting of kidneys, cheating and criminal conspiracy."
Some victims in India allege they were forced at gunpoint to have their kidneys removed, while The Associated Press reported that others claimed to have sold their kidneys for up to $2,250.
Shakel Ahmed, 28, said his kidney was forcibly taken from him and he is no longer able to work and earn money for his impoverished family.
"Two armed guards took me to a room, took blood samples, forced me onto a stretcher and gave me an injection," he said.
Ahmed later woke up in pain and with his kidney gone.
Police allege the massive illegal operation involved harvesting kidneys from labourers and farmers, then selling the organs to wealthy patients, including foreigners. So far, three hospitals and 10 clinics have been implicated in the ring.
A police raid near New Delhi uncovered two patients waiting for transplants. One was from the United States and the other from Greece.
A doctor arrested in the raid told investigators how many kidneys were allegedly taken.
"He has confessed that they have performed approximately 500 (surgeries)," said police commissioner Mahendra Lal.
A doctor now caring for the victims says that despite the circumstances, the surgeries were done carefully and by practiced hands.
"They have been well done professionally, by someone who is qualified and seems to know his job," said Dr. Sanjay Narula.
But that's little comfort to Ahmed's father, who must now care for his oldest son.
"I feel helpless," he said. "What can I do now? Our lives are ruined."
With a report by CTV's Genevieve Beauchemin
