Kolkata Police Bust Child Trafficking Racket: Mother Sells 4-Month-Old Baby to Childless Woman
Kolkata, Aug 1 (PTI) – In a shocking incident, the Kolkata Police have successfully dismantled a child trafficking racket operating in the city’s Anandapur area. Six women, including the child’s mother, have been apprehended for their alleged involvement in selling a four-month-old baby to a childless woman, as confirmed by the police.
The police received a written complaint from a resident of Nonadanga Rail Colony in the Anandapur police station limits, stating that she had noticed the absence of an infant girl in her neighbor’s house. Acting promptly, the police detained the child’s mother for questioning and later placed her under arrest when she confessed to selling the baby for Rs 4 lakh ($5,372).
Furthermore, based on the mother’s admission, the police proceeded to arrest two women each from the Patuli and Haridevpur areas. The woman who allegedly bought the baby was also arrested from Parnasree. The authorities successfully rescued the child from her possession and revealed that the buyer had been struggling with infertility for the past 15 years.
A case has been registered at the Anandapur police station, and the arrested women have been charged under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Meanwhile, the newborn has been handed over to a Child Welfare Committee (CWC) home for proper care and protection.
This incident follows a recent case in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas, where a couple reportedly sold their eight-month-old baby to fund the purchase of an iPhone and fulfill their desire to travel for creating social media content.
Child trafficking remains a grave concern in many parts of India, fueling the illegal trade of innocent lives. The authorities are continuously striving to end such heinous practices and bring the perpetrators to justice. This operation serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need to address these deep-rooted societal issues.
As investigations continue, the law enforcement agencies hope to uncover the network behind this child trafficking racket, ultimately safeguarding the rights and well-being of vulnerable children.
