CHENNAI: Child Welfare Committee (CWC) authorities in Tiruvallur have taken custody of a two-month-old baby girl from a transgender woman who brought her to the Tiruvallur Government Hospital for treatment on Thursday. Police sources suspect that the child was bought by the accused, Maya (35) from Tiruvallur, directly or indirectly from a couple in Andhra Pradesh for Rs 3 lakh.
According to police sources, Maya took the baby to the hospital on Thursday after the infant reportedly fell ill. Following treatment, hospital authorities became suspicious about the custody of the child, and alerted CWC. Maya was questioned by CWC officials about how the infant was related to her and asked for supporting documents. However, she allegedly gave inconsistent and unclear responses.
Finding the explanation unconvincing, CWC lodged a complaint with the Tiruvallur police. Speaking to TNIE, CWC officials said, “When we asked her about the procedure and how she got the two-month-old infant, there was no clear answer. It looks like the legal procedures were not followed. We still don’t have a clear picture of the child’s background.” Officials said the baby was examined at the hospital and found to be healthy. She was later moved to a government-run home for infants.
During the preliminary inquiry, police said Maya claimed she had bought the infant from a couple in Andhra Pradesh for around Rs 3 lakh, saying the parents could not afford to raise the child. This claim is under investigation, and officials are also probing whether any intermediaries and child trafficking networks were involved.
Based on the CWC’s complaint, the Tiruvallur police have registered a case under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.