Baby boy sold for Rs 1.5 lakh in Nizamabad

A one-month-old boy who was allegedly sold for Rs 1.5 lakh in Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh has been rescued by the police, officials said on Sunday.

Two persons including the baby's father Gangadhar, a labourer and one mediator called Linganna, allegedly sold the baby ten days ago, the Nizamabad Rural police said, quoting a complaint lodged by the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) authorities. 

Following the complaint, an investigation was launched and the infant was rescued from the Dubba area of the district on Saturday and taken to 'Shishugruha' (child home) in Nizamabad town, a senior police officer said. Gangadhar, who allegedly had developed intimacy with the baby's mother, initially tried to get the woman to abort the baby, but dropped the idea after Linganna persuaded him that the new born could be sold for money, the police said, quoting the complaint. 

The woman, who allegedly had affair with Gangadhar delivered the boy in Nizamabad government hospital a month ago. However, anganwadi workers, who fed the baby found it missing about ten days ago and the mother also did not give a proper reply about the matter, an ICDS official said, adding that a complaint was lodged due to her unsatisfactory reply. The woman who was counseled claimed that Gangadhar and Linganna had sold the baby for a sum of Rs 1.5 lakh, and after this the duo are being questioned. However, nobody has been arrested so far, the police officer said. 

-PTI