More Asha workers under lens, parents of rescued newborns record statements

The accused were arrested while they had come to Chandigarh to sell newborn boy for ₹4 lakh to a businessman staying in Sector 37

Involvement of more Asha workers in child trafficking racket busted by the Chandigarh Police has come to fore, going by the statement of the parents of the rescued 11-day-old girl who was sold for ₹1 lakh.

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The parents of the girl are daily wagers and she was their fourth child. Accused Bhawna (32) of Sector 45, Chandigarh, arrested for child trafficking was reportedly introduced to the couple by an Asha worker in Muktsar. The Asha worker had told the couple that Bhawna was her sister and unable to bear children.She reportedly had convinced them to hand over their newborn to Bhawna so that she can raise the child as her own.

The couple handed over the custody of the newborn to Bhawna, but soon they released their folly and tried to contact the Asha worker and Bhawna. However, the phone number given to them was switched off. The family told the police that it was only when police came looking for them they got to know that the child was sold for ₹1 lakh to a childless couple in Chandigarh. The statements of parents of the girl were recorded before a magistrate.

Police on Tuesday had arrested five people including two Asha workers and a police constable. The accused were arrested while they had come to Chandigarh to sell newborn boy for ₹4 lakh to a businessman staying in Sector 37.

Father of rescued boy records statement

The father of the rescued newborn boy recorded his statement before a magistrate on Thursday. Hailing from Dhuri, he stated his wife had delivered twins of which one was stillborn. He was handed over the body of the stillborn never informed about the other boy. His wife was discharged from hospital on August 3.