Interstate child trafficking ring busted: 16 babies rescued in Telangana racket

The Rachakonda police station in Telangana uncovered an interstate child trafficking operation, rescuing 16 infants from a group. The gang's modus operandi was to procure babies from economically deprived people in Delhi and Pune and then sell them to childless couples in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for prices ranging from Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 5 .5 lakh.

Three people have been arrested, and efforts are underway to locate and arrest eight other suspects. Dr Tarun Joshi, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda, revealed that on May 22, a report was lodged by an individual regarding the alleged trafficking of a baby girl within the jurisdiction of Medipally police station, located on the outskirts of 'Hyderabad.

The police quickly intervened, apprehending two women, Shoba Rani and M Swapna, as well as a man named Shaik Saleem, who were apparently finalizing the transaction to sell the infant. During interrogation, they admitted to masterminding a network involved in trafficking babies from New Delhi and Pune. The alleged mastermind, identified as 34-year-old Bandari Hari Hara Chethan, employed as a security guard in Ghatkesar on the outskirts of Hyderabad, was involved in the operation.

According to an Indian Express report, the gang procured babies from two individuals, Kiran and Preethi, operating from New Delhi, and another individual named Kannaiah, located in Pune. It emerged that they supplied the gang with around 50 infants from these locations. Subsequently, the gang would distribute these babies to agents, eventually facilitating their adoption by childless couples in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The price ranged from Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh per baby. The gang members received a profit of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh after paying agents and middlemen. We rescued 11 babies and sent them to child welfare homes,” said Joshi.