TUMAKURU: Investigating the case of a kidnapped baby led to the Tumakuru police busting a child trafficking network resulting in the arrest of seven accused and rescue of five infants.
The arrested have been identified as Mahesh U D, Mehboob Sharif, Ramakrishnappa, Hanumantaraju, Mubarak Pasha, Purnima and Saujanya.
On the night of June 9, a complaint was filed with the Gubbi police that an 11-month-old baby of one Mahadevi was abducted while the family was sleeping near a temple near Antapura.
To probe the case, Superintendent of Police Ashok K V formed a special team which arrested Ramakrishna of Bikkegudda of Gubbi taluk and Hanumantharaju of Bharati Nagar in Tumakuru. Based on the information given by them, Mahesh, a resident of Ashoka Nagar, who earlier worked as a staff nurse at Kunigal Government Hospital, was arrested.
After questioning Mahesh, the police learnt that the accused sold the kidnapped child to Mubarak of Bellur Cross for Rs 1,75,00. Later, the police arrested Mubarak and rescued the child.
Mahesh used to approach women who got pregnant out of wedlock and those who got pregnant in illicit relationships, and got the babies from them. The accused then sold the babies for Rs 2 to Rs 3 lakh to childless couples.
Mehboob Sharif, who runs a private hospital in Huliyar town in the name of his wife, is also involved in the racket. He was also working as a pharmacist in a PHC at Goobehalli village.
Five of the nine children the accused had sold have been rescued. One of the children was found dead. One child was given to the parents and the remaining four were placed in an adoption centre following the orders of the Child Welfare Committee.
A car, Rs 50,000 and four mobile phones used by the accused to abduct the child have been confiscated.