Police bust inter-state baby trafficking racket in Dehra

The Sansarpur Terrace police in Dehra police district have busted an alleged inter-state racket involved in the illegal sale of newborns, exposing a Punjab-based network operating under the guise of child adoption.

The crackdown followed a complaint lodged on February 17 by Rohit Rana, who alleged that one Deepak Anand had cheated him of Rs 23,500 on the false pretext of arranging the adoption of a newborn. Acting promptly, the police registered an FIR and launched an investigation.

Using technical surveillance and inputs from the cyber cell, the police traced the prime accused to Jalandhar in Punjab. A special team conducted a targeted raid, apprehended him and produced him before a local court, which remanded him to five days of police custody for further interrogation.

During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to acting as a middleman for a well-organised, Punjab-based inter-state gang engaged in the illegal procurement and sale of newborn babies. The police said the gang targeted childless couples and facilitated backdoor deals, bypassing established legal adoption procedures in exchange for hefty sums.

The probe widened with the arrest of a woman from Batala, Punjab, believed to be an active member of the trafficking network. In a follow-up operation, another woman, identified as Anita, was detained from Jalandhar for her suspected role in the racket.

Superintendent of Police Mayank Chaudhary, SP of Dehra police district, said the police had also rescued a minor child during the operation. Acting on the directions of the Juvenile Justice Board, the infant was handed over to a Special Adoption Agency to ensure proper care and legal protection.

Preliminary investigations point to the involvement of a larger inter-state network engaged in illegal child trafficking and adoption rackets. Police teams are now working to trace other members and expose the wider syndicate, the SP added.