2 Asha workers, cop among 5 held for selling babies

BOYS WERE SOLD FOR ₹4 LAKH WHILE GIRLS FETCHED THEM ₹1 LAKH

CHANDIGARH: With the arrest of two Asha workers from Punjab on Tuesday, Chandigarh Police unearthed a child trafficking racket going on in the city.

The duo arrested with three others, including a police constable, had been selling newborns picked up from different districts of Punjab to families in Chandigarh. Police even rescued a twoday-old boy who was about to be sold to a decoy customer. Another newborn, an 11-day-old girl, who was sold for ₹1 lakh to a city-based couple on July 28 was also rescued. Both children were handed over to the Childline NGO.

The accused were identified as Bhawna, 32, of Sector 45; Asha workers Kuldeep Kaur, 32, of Jahlan village in Patiala and Sarabjit Kaur, 40, of Mimsa village in Dhuri; health worker Mandeep Singh, 35, of Zalal Diwal village in Ludhiana; and Punjab Police constable Amarjit Singh, 29, of Shivjot Enclave, Mohali, who was deployed as driver to the station house officer, Balongi.

DECOY CUSTOMER HELPED BUST GANG

For the last three days, the accused were in touch with the complainant, a businessman in Sector 37, Ravinder Kumar, who posed as a customer for purchase of two babies — a male and a female.he was asked to meet them in Sangrur or Jalandhar.

On Monday night, when the accused arrived at the airport light point in Amarjit’s car, they were held. Amarjit, who was behind the wheel, claimed he was helping his neighbour Bhawna.

The accused were produced before the court and remanded to seven-day police custody. A case under Sections 370 (trafficking of persons), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code was registered.

BABIES WERE STOLEN BY ASHA WORKERS

Kuldeep and Sarabjit were responsible for arranging newborn babies. “The Asha workers were involved in tracing pregnant women in Punjab and helping them through pregnancy. Taking advantage of their situation, the two would either steal the child or convince parents to sell it,” said Paramjit Kaur, station house officer, Sector 31.

A male child was sold for ₹4 lakh while a female would sell for ₹1 lakh. The accused sold three children in Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi, and had sold the fourth one only last week.

“We are looking into the role of other Asha workers involved in the racket,” said the SHO.

Bhawna, who had earlier worked as a matchmaker, had also gotten involved in trafficking. Her role was to strike deals with the clients in Chandigarh. Accused Mandeep would find prospective buyers in different districts of Punjab.