11-day-old baby sold for Rs 12K in Odisha; 2 detained

Jharsuguda: The Badamala police and Jharsuguda Childline today rescued an 11-day-old baby boy, who was allegedly sold for Rs 12,000 by a couple, from Balabashapur village under Sasana police limits in Odisha’s Sambalpur district.

Police have detained two persons– Ramakrushna Sahoo of Balabashapur, who bought the infant, and Pradip Guru of Banjhari village, who acted as a middleman in the incident.

According to police sources, one Raju Ansari (26), a labourer hailing from West Bengal, was staying together with a young woman at Banjhari village under Badamala police limits in Jharsuguda district without getting married to her.

The couple was undergoing financial crisis and had borrowed Rs 8,000 from Ramakrushna Sahoo.

On January 13, the woman gave birth to a baby boy at Burla hospital. However, she was persuaded by Pradip Guru to sell the newborn to Ramakrushna, who on the very next day reached the hospital and took away the child after giving the couple Rs 4,000.

On being informed about the incident, the Jharsuguda Childline lodged a complaint with police and rescued the baby today with the help of cops.

The accused duo has been detained by police for questioning. The parents will be produced before the Child Welfare Committee later in the day, sources said.