ONGOLE: A newborn girl, who was sold away by her mother for Rs 10,000, was rescued by the police on Monday. The baby is under medical observation at the Ongole Government General Hospital and will be handed over to the Shishu Gruha.
According to police, V Manjula (48), the mother was working as an anganwadi worker in a village in Ponnaluru mandal limits of Prakasam district. She was living with two sons and a daughter after she got divorce from her husband.
Meanwhile, she developed a live-in relationship with another man and conceived. As the delivery time came, she joined the Government Hospital at Kandukuru and gave birth to a baby girl on August 21. Later, she was referred to the Ongole GGH for better treatment as she was weak, anemic and suffering from pneumonia symptoms on August 22.
While undergoing treatment in the GGH, the mother came in contact with another lady patient who was on the next bed in the same ward. Manjula told her that she didn’t want the newborn baby girl and she is ready to give her to anybody. The other woman patient and her husband immediately contacted their relatives in Khammam in neighbouring Telangana State.
The couple agreed to pay Rs 10,000 and as Manjula agreed for the deal, they gave her Rs 6,000 and took the remaining Rs 4,000 as their commission. Manjula along with her baby and the other lady absconded from the hospital without intimating anybody of the hospital.
The issue came to the notice of the District Children Protection Committee and immediately they inquired with the Ongole GGH authorities on August 24. They also brought it to the notice of the AP State Children Rights Protection Commission (APSCRPC). Commission member Battula Padmavathi directed the police and hospital authorities to inquire into the matter.
Based on the Children Protection Committee complaint, the Ponnavolu Police registered a case and started investigation. By August 25 night they found out the whereabouts of the baby and brought her to Ongole.