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Ludhiana: Newborn sold for ₹2 lakh, mother, BAMS doc among five arrested
Cops also arrested a childless woman, Mandeep Kaur from Nangal village of Moga, who had agreed to buy the infant for ₹2.10 lakh, along with three others who allegedly facilitated the deal
The division number 3 police have arrested a woman for attempting to sell her newborn daughter. Identified as Sunita Devi of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony in Sherpur Kalan, the accused already has four daughters so she didn’t want to raise another girl child, officials said. Cops also arrested a childless woman, Mandeep Kaur from Nangal village of Moga, who had agreed to buy the infant for ₹2.10 lakh, along with three others who allegedly facilitated the deal, including a BAMS doctor who runs a clinic.
Apart from Sunita and Mandeep Kaur, the other arrested persons are Praveen (Sunita’s friend) of Khud Mohalla, Manmeet Kaur (BAMS doctor) from Punjab Mata Nagar on Pakhowal Road and her associate Ruchi of Sant Kabir Nagar, Daba Road.
Police said three more accused are absconding, including an ASHA worker identified as Pamma from Amritsar, a private hospital nurse named Asha, and her associate Gurmeet Kaur of Moga.
The case came to light on Sunday evening when the accused assembled at a park near Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi to hand over the newborn to the Moga-based family. An alert passerby overheard their conversation about the transaction and immediately informed the police. Acting swiftly, a police team reached the spot and apprehended the women before the baby could be transferred.
Chain of middlemen
Additional deputy commissioner of police (City 1) Sameer Verma said the interrogation revealed a disturbing chain of middlemen. “Sunita gave birth to a baby girl at a private hospital on February 13. As she already has four daughters, she decided not to keep the child. She discussed the matter with her friend Praveen, who contacted a nurse at the hospital. The nurse then approached a BAMS doctor, Manmeet Kaur, who roped in her friend Ruchi. Ruchi, with the help of Gurmeet Kaur, located the childless woman (Mandeep Kaur), who agreed to buy the baby,” he said.
According to the police, Mandeep Kaur, married for about eight years and unable to conceive, agreed to pay ₹2.10 lakh. The amount was transferred online to Manmeet Kaur, who was to distribute it among the other accused.
Of ₹2.10 lakh, mother sought only hospital expenses
When asked how much the baby’s mother was to receive, Verma said, “She only wanted her hospital bill cleared. The remaining amount was to be shared among the others who fixed the deal.”
Explaining how the racket was exposed, the ADCP said, “The accused gathered in a park to complete the handover process. Their conversation was overheard by a person present there, who alerted the police. Our team reached the spot and caught them red-handed.”
Hospital facility under scanner
Police said raids are on to arrest the absconding accused and that the role of the private hospital authorities is also being examined. Investigators are further probing whether the accused were involved in similar illegal adoptions or baby-selling cases in the past.
The rescued newborn has been taken into protective care, while the arrests have once again drawn attention to the grim reality of gender discrimination and illegal child trafficking networks operating under the guise of medical and social assistance.
