In a quick response, District Collector B. Lakshmikantham responded to an infant selling case in the city on Friday. Officials of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) swung into action and rescued the baby.
Unidentified persons tipped off Mr. Lakshmikantham and alerted that a woman had kept her baby for sale at Kedareswarapeta in the city. He directed Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department Krishna District Project Director (PD) K. Krishna Kumari to rescue the baby.
Following the directions of the Collector, staff of Integrated Child Protection Scheme, Y. Johnson, V. Sarada and G. Prema Latha rushed to the spot and took the infant’s mother B. Pallavi, grandmother Nagamani along with the baby.
“Pallavi, a native of Geddamadugu village in G. Kondur mandal in the district, was a widow. She delivered a male baby in Old Government General Hospital (GGH) in the city on August 21, and they were discharged on August 26”, the official told The Hindu.
The mother is understood to have told the officials that she was unable to take care of the baby due to poverty and decided to sell the baby to an childless couple through a mediator.
Based on the complaint lodged by the WD&CW officials, the Two Town police registered a case and took up investigation. Police are trying to trace the couple who agreed to take the baby.
“It is confirmed that Pallavi has decided to give for illegal adoption (sale) to a couple and was taken into custody while she was waiting to hand over the infant. We are trying to find out for how much amount the deal was made,” Ms. Krishna Kumari said.
As per the instructions of the Collector, the baby was referred to Old GGH, and later shifted to Sishu Gruha Children’s Home, run by the government, said Mr. Johnson.
Police reportedly took the mediator into custody and are questioning him.