In raising children, women play a key role. But, times have changed and woman now play a key role in the illegal sale of infants.
In Dharmapuri district alone, more than five women have been arrested for illegal trade in infants in the past two years.
“As adopting children through proper channel would take more time, some persons go the illegal way to buy children from poor families in remote villages. Shockingly, women play the key role of a broker for such illegal activities,” a police official told Express.
He recalled an incident in the Kariamangalam block last year when a girl baby was illegally sold to a couple from Kerala.
“When the social welfare department brought this incident to us, we conducted a comprehensive inquiry and arrested two women, including one from Bangalore, who acted as brokers,” he said. The official claimed women are chosen in the trade as they have the knack to speak emotionally and easily convince poor families to sell infants.
Dr Ravichandran, a physician and an activist says it is an advantage for women when it comes to awareness about happenings in the neighbourhood.
“When they come to know that some families are suffering financially with more children, they approach them and speak emotionally and induce them to sell the children.”
He said the government should analyse the social reason for the trend and look into the crime angle. “Poor families sell children and village women take advantage of this. We cannot solve this only through the penal action. We can address the issue by enhancing the rural economy.”