BALASORE (ODISHA): A tribal hailing from Nilagiri area here has allegedly sold his son for `3,000 to meet the expenses of his wife’s last rites. The incident, which took place a couple of days ago, came to light on Wednesday after a few locals informed mediapersons.
The tribal, however, denied the allegations and said he had handed over the child to his brother-in-law as he would not be able to raise him after the sudden death of his wife. The local administration said it would investigate the matter.
Sources said the 38-year-old man, a native of Baturisahi village under Dhobasila panchayat here, reportedly sold his one-year-old son to a person of Matiali village under Kaptipada block of Mayurbhanj district. Locals said the tribal’s wife died of TB recently. He is a daily labourer and was unable to meet the expenses of his wife’s last rites. “He sold his tenth child to the person who happens to be one of his relatives. The buyer, a father of four girls, was looking for a baby boy,” said a local. The man and his wife had been working as daily labourers. Earlier, they are said to have sold another child. When contacted, Nilagiri sub-collector Sridhar Nayak assured to send officials to investigate the matter.