Police nab three persons trying to sell two-month-old girl child in Surat

Surat, Feb 26 (ANI): Police officials on Sunday rescued a two-month-old girl child from the clutches of three traffickers including a woman, who bought the infant from her poor parents.

The city's Crime Branch sleuths saved the child from being sold for a price of Rs.5000.

Mumbai based traffickers contacted a worker of the Ashapura Trust, an NGO saying that they wanted her organisation to take responsibility for the infant in the name of 'foster care' as her parents were unable to raise the child, while their main intention was to smuggle the toddler.

Unaware of the intentions of the traffickers, the NGO worker met the persons in Surat and alerted the police.

"After coming here they asked me that since we approve of the child when we want to take her. I told them there are some legal procedures to complete, only then can the adoption take place. I related to the parent's economic condition and suspected that something foul is going on between Raju, Shilpa and Mansukh. So I informed my husband who immediately alerted the police," said Manju Ben, an Ashapur Trust worker.

She added that the NGO was approached about ten days ago, following which the organisation decided to visit the child's parents to seek approval.

The infant was the third child of the couple. The traffickers contacted them and promised to arrange a foster care for their baby.

"They told me that they wanted to take this child through your organisation, and have already paid Rs.5000 to the parents. So you take the child by saying that you will raise her and later give us the custody. Their intention was to use the child in some wrong business after she grows up. Therefore in order to save the girl child we informed the police," said Ben.

Meanwhile, the administration hailed the NGO for bringing the incident to light leading to the arrest of the traffickers.

Terming the incident as 'grave', Additional Police Commissioner Crime Branch, Siddharajsinh Bhati said the matter would be investigated thoroughly. (ANI)