Odisha child sale: Khordha Collector conducts inquiry

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, July 17:

Khordha district collector Niranjan Sahu today visited the residence of the labourer couple, who allegedly sold three sons for money, in the Press Colony slum area of Odisha’s capital city.

The collector conducted a spot inquiry into the incident, however, remained tight lipped on his findings.

The collector, who was mobbed by media persons during his visit to the slum said “The inquiry is not complete. After its completion you will be informed of the findings”.

Meanwhile the Kharvela Nagar police, which is also investigating the case, has detained the accused Shyam Chandra Rao, his wife Pramila Rao as well as the couple from Samastipur- Ranjit Choudhuri and Chandini Choudhuri- who bought one of three children, and the mediator in the case.

It may be mentioned here that the matter came to light after Rulina Patra, Counselor of Ruchika Childline Bhubaneswar Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Kharvela Nagar Police station here requesting to take necessary steps to rescue all the three children allegedly sold by their parents for money.

Ms Patra in her complaint said Shyama Chandra Rao and his wife Pramila, both daily wagers, who stay in the Press Colony slum in the city, are the biological parents of seven children. Two of them are dead and three (all sons) have been sold to different persons in the past to earn money.

The couple sold their third son, a 22-day-old baby, for Rs 6000 to one Ranjit Choudhuri and his wife Chandini of Samastipur area in Bihar recently, Ms Patra said in her complaint.

Their first son was sold to a person who lives in Kolkata and the second was sold to a person who lives in Odisha, Ms Patra added.

The complaint report was lodged following an order from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Khordha.

“We have requested the police to recue all three children soon and produce them before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for suitable order and to take necessary legal action against the couple for teh criminal act of selling their children,” Ms Patra said.

The couple, poor daily labourers, however said they sold their sons not for money but in order to ensure their children’s long and happy life.