Child trafficking gang busted in Delhi, two infants rescued

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Two infants were rescued and four members, including a married couple, of a child trafficking gang were arrested, a Delhi Police official said on Wednesday

The gang, after luring poor families, used to take away their children and sell them to others, police said.

The accused were identified as Gurmeet Singh, 41, his wife Hasmeet Kaur, 37, Mariyam, 30, and Naina, 24, all residents of Delhi.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Outer, Jimmy Chiram said that information regarding a child trafficking gang, being seen near the Sonia hospital, was received at Nangloi police station on April 2. A police team was dispatched to the spot and apprehended four persons, including a woman carrying a baby girl, as they were seeking to take the child to an undisclosed location.

"The infant rescued was around 15-20 days old. Accordingly, a case under Sections 370 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 81 of the JJ Act was registered," the DCP said.

During the probe, the infant, rescued from them, was traced back to Punjab's Fazilka.

“She was to be sold for a hefty sum before the vigilant officers intervened. The parents of the rescued baby girl were informed accordingly,” said the DCP.

On interrogation, the four accused, including three women, disclosed that they lured poor families and took away their children to sell to others.

"They had got this rescued baby girl from Punjab and tried to sell her in UP but could not find a customer, and later, were trying to sell in Delhi but got caught," the DCP said.

During the further investigation in this case, information about another child, a baby girl, aged about three months and sold in Chandigarh for about Rs 2.5 lakh, was disclosed.

"Accordingly, a team was sent and in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, they rescued the child from a couple in Chandigarh," the DCP said.