Abducted newborn baby rescued, Asha worker among six held
PRAYAGRAJ : A joint team of crime branch and Shahganj police on Wednesday night rescued a newborn baby girl who was allegedly abducted and sold to a childless woman for Rs 40,000 a day earlier.
Six persons, including an Asha worker, have been arrested in this connection while one accused is still at large. The rescued 20-day-old baby girl was handed over to her parents on Thursday, the police said.
Superintendent of police (city) Dinesh Kumar Singh said a rickshaw puller Golu of Meja area lives near Allahabad junction. His wife Neha delivered a baby girl at Dufferin Hospital in the beginning of this month. However, the baby girl was stolen from gate number 3 of Allahabad junction on November 24 night, Singh said.
The baby girl’s father lodged a complaint with Shahganj police in this regard on Tuesday itself following which police registered an FIR of abduction under Section 363 of the Indian Penal Code. Swinging into action, the police and crime branch team rescued the baby girl from a house at Karelabagh area of Kareli.
During interrogation, accused revealed that one Sarita Kanaujia was childless even after six years of marriage and was afraid that her husband Monu may desert her. So, Sarita, her mother Meera and brother Kamal planned to steal a newborn baby. As per the plan, Sarita came to live with her mother and informed her husband that she was pregnant. To convince Monu, Sarita would wear many layers of clothes to look like an expectant mother.
Meanwhile, Sarita’s brother Kamal contacted with one Ankit, Aafreen and Puja through an Asha worker Sunita Bhushan aka Annu who used to work at primary health centre, Karelabagh.
Ankit and his aides abducted the newborn baby Kumkum on getting a chance and gave it to Kamal for Rs 40,000.
Sarita then informed her husband Monu that she had delivered a baby girl, the SP city said.
Questioning from Monu suggested that he was unaware of the planning of his wife and in-laws.
An FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code against Sarita, her mother Meera, brother Kamal along with Ankit, Aafreen, Puja and Annu. Except Ankit all of the accused have been arrested.
Interrogation from Aafreen and others indicated that they had been involved in child trafficking for long. They were being questioned further in this connection, the SP city added.