Stolen Infant Retrieved in Bargarh for Sale at Rs 20,000, Now Hospitalized
A three-week-old baby girl was rescued in Odisha's Bolangir district following an alleged sale, according to reports. The mother of the infant broke down in tears as she made her statements, expressing her distress and disapproval of the sale.
The rescue operation was a joint effort by the Titilagarh and Paikmal police stations, the District Child Protection Unit, and other authorities. The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights is expected to intervene and review the case, further highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The viral video footage of the mother handing over the child to the buyers played a crucial role in helping police trace the infant. The child was found at a residence in Bastanpada village under Paikmal block in Bargarh district.
The mother, who delivered the baby at Pipalpadar hospital, claimed that her husband sold the baby without informing her. The father, however, stated poverty as the reason for the sale, while the mother asserted that the sale occurred without her consent.
The infant was presented before the District Child Welfare Committee and admitted to a hospital for a medical check-up and further care. Police have detained both the buyer and the biological parents for questioning, and legal action under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act is being considered.
This case comes amidst ongoing government attention and investigations into child trafficking and crimes against women and children in Odisha. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently held hearings in Bhubaneswar to sensitize top state officials on these issues, indicating a continued focus on combating child trafficking in the region.
Child trafficking in India often involves networks exploiting poverty and vulnerability, with agents frequently approaching families before trafficking minors out of their communities. Problems such as weak local vigilance, lack of coordination between enforcement agencies, and poor community-level reporting can enable trafficking networks and delay interventions.
India has rescued over 53,000 children recently, and frameworks like the PICKET strategy (Policy, Institutions, Convergence, Knowledge, Economic disruption, Technology) are being advocated to curb trafficking effectively. For the most accurate and updated data on the ₹20,000 baby sale case in Odisha, monitoring official Odisha police or NHRC updates and credible local news sources would be recommended.
As the investigation continues, the future plans for the rescued baby and the current status of the viral video footage and the public outrage it triggered remain uncertain.
- The ongoing government attention in Odisha includes investigations into child trafficking, crimes against women and children, and the latest incident of a three-week-old baby being sold involves the 'politics' of addressing these issues.
- The case of the stolen baby in Odisha highlights the gravity of 'crime-and-justice' issues, as it is being reviewed by the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and legal action under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act is being considered.
