A 14-day-old baby boy sold by his father to an Odia couple in Sitanagar of Madhya Pradesh has been rescued by Balangir police. The police team along with the infant reached Balangir on Friday.
The baby’s father Santosh Dang, grandmother Basanti and the couple who purchased the baby - Kunti Sahu and Sriram Sahu - have been arrested following a complaint lodged by the child’s mother Sobhavati Nag. Police are, however, yet to ascertain how much Santosh was paid by the couple.
Police said Sobhavati is the third wife of Santosh, a resident of Kansaripada in Balangir town. The couple have two children and on October 30, she had given birth to another child.
Kunti and Sriram came to Balangir hospital where the baby was born on November 5. Santosh allegedly handed over the baby to the couple while Sobhavati was not in her bed.
When Sobhavati asked about the baby, Santosh said his mother had taken him home. When she rushed to home, the baby was nowhere to be found and Santosh could not give any satisfactory answer to her questions. Sobhavati then registered an FIR in Balangir police station on November 12.
Police said Kunti and Sriram belonged to Bijepur area of Bargarh district and were working at Sitanagar in Madhya Pradesh.
The couple was issueless even after 10 years of marriage and the deal to sell the baby was made two months back.
Acting on the FIR, Balangir police team went to Madhya Pradesh and brought the baby back.
Sobhavati told police that Santosh sold the child as he was finding it difficult to manage the family. Balangir police station IIC Tariq Anwar said the child will now be given to the local child welfare committee till a
decision on the matter is taken.