Indian Couple Who Already Has Three Children Sells Their Newborn Baby For $160

An Indian couple, burdened by the three children they were already raising, allegedly sold their newborn baby for US$160 in Sanaraipara village in Jajpur, India on Thursday, Jan. 27.

Kanchan Behera, the wife of Natabar Behera, a daily wage laborer, reportedly delivered a baby girl on Thursday, Jan. 27, at the Dharamsala Community Health Center (CHC). However, since the couple was already overwhelmed with having three daughters, they allegedly chose to sell the infant to a childless couple immediately after childbirth for US$160 (12000 Indian Rupees), the New Indian Express reported.

"I am a daily wage laborer and it would be tough for me to fend for four children. Hence, we decided to hand over the baby to a childless relative to be adopted and raised well," Natabar said adding that they did not sell their baby just for money.

However, the officials of the health center where the baby was delivered said that they were unaware of the alleged sale.

After concerned locals came to know of the transaction, they brought the incident to the attention of the facility's administration and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU). The latter was subsequently was directed to inquire into the matter and submit a detailed report, Odisha TV reported.

"We have initiated an inquiry and will rescue the baby girl soon besides taking action against the accused couple," said Tapan Kumar Panda, Legal Officer of District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Jajpur.

In a similar but unrelated incident, an Indian mother reportedly also sold her baby for some US$5,338 (4 lakh Indian Rupees) with the help of her gynecologist and two other women in Navi Mumbai, India on Oct. 28, 2021, Latin Times reported.

Gynecologist Dr. Pankaj Patil, 53, who owns The Family Health Care hospital in sector 8 of Kamothe; the infant’s mother Amreen Bano Badar Baksh, 31; and two mediators, Rajni Jadhav, 32; and Rukhsa Shaikh, 29; have been arrested for allegedly trying to sell a two-month-old infant girl for US$5,338 in Navi Mumbai, India on Oct. 28, 2021.

Jadhav works as a helper nurse at Dr. Patil’s clinic. Meanwhile, Shaikh is an egg donor for IVF (In vitro fertilization) treatment at the clinic.

Officers from the Kamothe police station started looking into the incident after they received a tip-off from a social worker alleging that Dr. Patil was going to sell an infant girl at his hospital for an amount of US$5,338 (4 lakh Indian Rupees). Following this, the authorities launched an entrapment operation and sent their woman constable, Manthan Patil, 38, as a decoy buyer.

Manthan approached Dr. Patil and expressed her desire to buy the baby stating that she was unable to conceive herself. After receiving the money from Manthan, Dr. Patil informed the baby's mother to bring the child to the hospital. The mother brought her infant child with the two mediators Jadhav and Shaikh and Dr. Patil handed over the baby to Manthan.

After receiving the baby, the constable alerted the police team waiting outside the clinic. The officers rushed in, raided the clinic, and confiscated the cash in Dr. Patil’s possession.