Hyderabad: They were wailing with uncontrollable grief. Reason: their babies were taken away by the police because they were not the biological parents but had bought the babies even though they were bringing them up as their own.
Police in Rachakonda commissionerate of Greater Hyderabad have busted an inter-state child-selling racket and rescued 13 babies, including four baby boys and nine baby girls, the youngest just about two months old.
The racket came to light after police launched an investigation following the arrest of Shobha Rani, a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) on May 22 for selling a child for Rs 4.50 lakh.
Medipally Police under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate arrested 11 persons, including eight women, who had bought the children from three accused from Delhi and Pune.
"They (children) were reportedly sourced from poor families and sold for as much as 1.8 lakh to 5.5 lakh rupees. Thirteen babies aged two months to two years, have been rescued and 11 people, including an RMP doctor have been arrested," said Tarun Joshi, Rachakonda Police Commissioner.
All the arrested are residents of Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Their interrogation revealed that the babies were being supplied to them by three persons from Delhi and Pune.
"Some people were illegally transporting children brought from Delhi and Pune and were selling them in Vijaywada and Hyderarabad. Couples, who did not wish to wait for adoption as it dragged on because of legalities, were procuring the children from them and were ready to pay Rs 4 to 5 lakh for them," the senior cop added.
The rescued children are aged between two month to three years. Nine of them are baby girls while the remaining four are baby boys. They will be handed over to child welfare department till their original parents are found, said the officer.
"We bought a baby from one of the RMP doctor. Her name is Shobha Rani. She demanded Rs 4 lakh for the baby. We gave her four lakh and took the baby. She told us that the parents were very poor. So we had the baby since last 1 year. She did not reveal the details of the parents. If actual parents are found, we are willing to give up the kid," said a man, who said they had taken the baby for his sister who could not conceive a biological baby. "We will fight for this baby who we loved as our own. If biological parents don't come forward, we want the opportunity to legally adopt the baby," he said.
Another mother collapsed and fainted as her child was taken away from her. A third one couldn't stop wailing for her little one.