RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: A 4-year-old girl, who was sold for Rs 50,000 by her biological father when she was a newborn, was rescued and shifted to the Child Care Home in Rajamahendravaram on Friday.
Giving details of the sordid incident, East Godavari District Collector P Prasanthi said Korrevu Adilakshmi (35) of Thurpugonegudem village delivered a baby girl at Rajamahendravaram government hospital on October 30, 2019.
Eight days after the birth of the girl, Korrevu Appa Rao, the biological father, sold the newborn to a childless couple for Rs 50,000 in an inebriated condition. ANMs Chikkala Anuradha and P Gangamma were involved in fixing the deal with the childless couple.
Appa Rao, who fled with the money, returned home recently. When Adilakshmi questioned her husband about their missing daughter, he spilled the beans.
Later, the couple approached the Collector, and on her directions, Child Protection Officer Rajkumar and Women and Child Welfare Project Director Vijayakumari conducted an inquiry into the incident after visiting Thurpugonegudem, and found that the girl was with a city-based couple.
The girl was rescued and shifted to the Child Care Home in the city. The girl will be handed over to her biological mother after completing the formalities, said the Child Protection Officer.
Rajanagaram police registered a case against the couple for illegal adoption of the girl. Appa Rao and the two ANMs, who are working at Rajanagaram now, were also booked for selling the newborn.