Out of poverty, newborn sold for Rs 5K in Tripura

Agartala, May 25

A tribal woman from Tripura’s Dhalai district, grappling with dire poverty following her husband’s death five months ago, sold her newborn for Rs 5,000, an official said on Saturday.

The four-day-old girl was rescued from a couple in Hezamara, West Tripura district, and reunited with her mother, following Opposition leader Jitendra Choudhury’s intervention, sources said.

Mormati Tripura (39) of Gandacherra subdivision, gave birth to a daughter at home on Wednesday. The next day she sold the child to a couple in Hezamara for Rs 5,000, citing extreme poverty after her husband’s demise five months ago, SDM Arindam Das said.

“She is already burdened with two sons and a daughter… This desperation likely led to the decision to sell the child,” Das added.