HYDERABAD: As many as six persons trying to sell a seven-day-old baby girl were arrested by the Hyderabad police near the Venkateshwara temple in Saroornagar on Wednesday.
Prime accused 32-year-old Kedavath Ravi, an Ola driver and five others, including two women, were caught red-handed trying to sell the baby for Rs 80,000 near the temple in Venkateshwara Colony in Saroornagar, said A Manmohan, inspector of the Saroornagar police station.
"The parents of the child are from Mahbubnagar district and are absconding," said Manmohan.
Achyuta Rao from Balala Hakkula Sangham, a city-based child rights NGO which tipped off the police,, alleged that the racket has been going on for the past one month.
Rao said the accused Ravi has been buying female infants from Amangal and Kalvakurthi thandas in Nagerkurnool for a low price and then selling them in the city.
A case has been booked under section 370 of the IPC, (trafficking in persons) and section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act. All the six persons have been arrested and inquiry is underway.
Meanwhile, the child has been shifted to Sishu Vihar.
A Devender, district child protection officer, Rangareddy said, "The Child Welfare Committee has directed us to shift the child to Sishu Vihar and she will be presented before the Committee on Friday. We will also conduct an inquiry in the meanwhile."