HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has expressed serious concern over suspected large-scale trafficking of infants across the state after nine children, aged between two months and three years, were rescued in Suryapet district amid allegations of illegal adoption.
During the hearing of a public interest appeal, the court was informed that the children had been produced before the Child Welfare Committee and temporarily shifted to Nalgonda as Suryapet lacks adequate protective facilities.
The bench questioned why the police had failed to trace the biological parents of any of the children despite the presence of anganwadi workers, teachers and other government officials in rural areas.
The court also questioned the functioning of the Child Welfare Committee, noting that the children’s particulars appeared to have been uploaded on the CARA adoption portal before completion of the mandatory social investigation report. The report was submitted only in June 2026.
The presiding judge referred to an anti-trafficking mechanism adopted elsewhere, involving thousands of village-level child protection committees comprising anganwadi and school personnel. The court suggested that Telangana examine a similar system to identify missing, vulnerable or trafficked children.
The bench also voiced concern that missing infants could potentially be exploited for begging or organ trafficking.
The Women and Child Welfare, Social Welfare and Home departments have been directed to provide comprehensive statewide data on children taken into protective custody, those housed in care facilities, and beneficiaries of sponsorship and foster-care schemes.
The departments have been directed to submit their reports within two weeks through senior officials. The case will next be heard on September 2, 2026, when the court is expected to examine the data and obtain a clearer picture of the situation.