Odisha baby sold by tribal parents for ₹7,000, rescued on mother’s complaint
OSCPR chairperson Mandakini Kar said she has directed the police to establish the circumstances leading to the sale of child
BHUBANESWAR: A month-old baby boy who was allegedly sold by his tribal parents for ₹7,000 to meet the family’s expenses, was rescued by police in Jajpur district following a complaint by the infant’s mother, police said on Tuesday.
Officials said the baby was sold by a tribal couple Bikram Munda and Janga Munda to a childless man, four days ago.
On Monday, the mother had a change of heart and filed a police complaint against Mohan Jena, a relative who mediated the deal, and the childless man, Jalia Jena after they refused to restore the child.
District child protection officer of Jajpur, Niranjan Kar said Jena had given the child to a childless man Jalia Jena and passed on ₹7,000 to the baby’s parents. However, the baby’s mother asked for the boy.
“The baby’s mother then lodged an FIR with police and with the help of Childline NGO, we rescued him. The person who had kept the baby has been detained and is being interrogated,” Kar added.
Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Mandakini Kar said she has directed the police to establish the circumstances leading to the sale of child within next 15 days.
In July this year, a tribal woman allegedly sold her newborn baby boy to a man in Andhra Pradesh for ₹1 lakh in Paradip area of Jagatsinghpur district.