A 10-day-old infant was rescued by the Bhubaneswar police after his biological parents, who were reportedly struggling to make both ends meet due to poverty, sold him for ₹10,000 to a couple in the city.
The incident had taken place on June 14, but it came to light on Friday. The woman, who had ‘bought’ the baby boy, was identified as Sumedin Bibi. She has admitted to have paid the money.
The infant was produced before the Child Welfare Committee, Khordha, a quasi-judiciary body constituted as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
As per the CWC’s order, the child was placed with Subhadra Mahatab Seva Sadan, a special adoption agency for rehabilitation of children, on Saturday. Ms. Bibi has been taken into custody.
“The parents have not been traced. They used to live near the Bhubaneswar railway station,” said Arun Swain, Inspector-in-charge of Kharavelanagar police station.
District Child Protection Officer Banishree Patnaik received a videoclip regarding the ‘sale’, which she forwarded to Childline, an NGO which works for the protection of children.
“After receiving information about the ‘sale’, we constituted a team and took help of the city police. Following the intervention of the police, the baby was rescued from Malisahi area of Bhubaneswar,” said Benudhar Senapati, Director of Childline.
Mr. Senapati said, “The woman told the investigators that the couple did not have any resources. So they offered to sell their child for ₹10,000. Since the woman did not have any children, she went for the deal.”
Childline has lodged a police complaint in the city’s Kharvelnagar police station.
