BALASORE: A 46-year-old man allegedly sold his two-and-a-half-year-old son for Rs 1 lakh to another person at Nilagiri area in Balasore district on Friday.
The matter came to light after some locals who had recorded a video purportedly showing the man Rakesh Kumar Behera allegedly holding negotiations over the matter with the receiver and shared it with some social activists.
Police were eventually informed and the toddler was rescued on Saturday.
The baby was then handed over to the child welfare committee (CWC). The cops have detained Rakesh and the receiver to whom the child was allegedly sold.
Sources said Rakesh of Barisahi village under Nilagiri NAC has married twice. However, he reportedly tortured his second wife, following which the latter left him and had been staying separately. Their two-and-a-half-year-old son lived with Rakesh.
As per information, Rakesh had sold the child for Rs 1 lakh and had taken Rs 50,000 advance for the same. When the social activists received the video from the villagers, they confronted him, following which Rakesh admitted to have sold the child.
Sources said Rakesh reportedly confessed before the activists that he had negotiated a deal with a middleman to sell the child to a man of nearby Station Sahi area for Rs 1 lakh. On getting information, police launched a search operation and rescued the child from Chiminibhati area and handed him over to the CWC.
Nilagiri IIC Gobardhan Nayak said Rakesh was an alcoholic. He, however, refuted claims that the child had been sold.
“Rakesh did not sell his child but asked his friend to take care of the toddler as he was to meet his wife. When police were informed of the matter, they reached the friend’s house and rescued the child,” he added.
SDPO Pramod Kumar Mallick said Rakesh and his friend have been detained for questioning. Further investigation is underway.