BALANGIR: A woman allegedly ‘gifted’ her new-born girl child to unidentified persons since she could not afford to raise her due to acute poverty in San Guduchibhata village under Khaprakhol block, notorious for acute backwardness and distress migration.
As per reports, Aruna Bati Nag, a mother of five, including three girls and two adult sons, recently gave birth to a girl child at Sunamudi. Aruna allegedly gave away the baby to some people as she was unable to raise her.
The matter came under investigation after an ASHA worker of the area went to Aruna’s house and learnt about the development. The worker said she tried to ascertain who did Aruna gift her baby but in vain.
“When I failed to gather any information regarding the child, I reported the matter to the child development project officer (CDPO),” she said. The CDPO informed the matter to district child protection officer Laxmi Singh who sent a two-member team of Childline to the village to investigate the matter. “Two of our staff went to Aruna’s for investigation but she refused to cooperate, “said Laxmi.
Aruna, however, told the staff she had not sold the girl but handed her over to a few people as she was unable to bear the burden of another child. After the incident, child welfare committee members S Latashree and Sandhyarani Panda along with staff Bikram Panda and Basanta Harpal also visited the village and conducted a probe.
A video in which Aruna can be seen telling members of the investigating team that she did not know the address of the people who took her child is also under verification. Subsequently, the Childline members intimated the matter to village elders and the sarpanch but she still refused to budge.
However, Aruna assured the team that she would produce her newborn before them within three days. “The DCPO has informed the matter to Lathore police and lodged an FIR,” said Laxmi. Aruna, who lives in a thatched house, said she and her husband have no source of income and both of them go to other states for work.
Hundreds of people from Khaprakhol, Belpada, Bangomuda, Turekela and Gudvela migrate to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala for work.