A child-trafficking racket has been busted in Andhra Pradesh after two cases were unearthed. Representative Image: iStock
Andhra cops nail newborn-trafficking racket in Eluru
Two infants were illegally sold through middlemen using forged documents, prompting the state police to uncover a wider trafficking network
The Andhra Pradesh Police have busted a child-trafficking syndicate in the state's Eluru district after exposing two incidents of illegal sale of infants. The breakthrough came when investigators noticed suspicious entries in child-birth registration records linked to a private hospital, which led to a wider probe into an alleged organised trafficking network.
Couple faked pregnancy to buy infant
The first case involves a couple from Mudinepalli mandal who allegedly purchased a newborn girl for around Rs 3 lakh on December 1, 2024, after reportedly failing to conceive despite multiple IVF attempts. The couple feigned pregnancy and allegedly purchased the infant through middlemen, intending to pass her off as their biological child.
Also Read: Andhra govt to ban social media for children under 13, may extend curbs to teens
To support the deception, forged documents were arranged — including a fake birth certificate obtained through a local panchayat office without proper verification, and a subsequently generated Aadhaar card. Six people have been named as accused in this case, including the couple and those who allegedly facilitated the illegal activity.
Eluru Sub-Divisional Police Officer D Sravan Kumar confirmed the details to news agency PTI, adding that the accused couple had also fabricated a story claiming the baby's original documents were stolen during a train journey, which they used to approach intermediaries for the forged paperwork.
Also read: ‘Cancel hospital licence if baby is stolen’: SC hauls up UP govt, HC on child trafficking
"We have busted a newborn babies trafficking gang in Eluru district after two incidents involving the illegal sale of infants came to light during an investigation," he said.
Newborn boy 'sold' at private hospital
During the investigation into the first case, police uncovered a second incident involving the alleged sale of a newborn boy at a private hospital in Eluru on September 29, 2024. The infant was reportedly sold for around Rs 30,000, allegedly with the involvement of a nurse at the facility.
Habitual offender, inter-district links
Eluru District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Ch Surya Chakraveni said one of the suspects is a habitual offender with cases registered across multiple districts. "These incidents point to the possibility of an organised network involved in the illegal sale of newborns, and a thorough investigation has been initiated," Chakraveni told PTI.
The same individual, who is also an accused in earlier baby trafficking cases reported in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, is alleged to have facilitated the delivery of the female infant on December 1, 2024. She is currently lodged in Rajamahendravaram Central Prison.
Also Read: Pakistani drone drops 2kg heroin worth Rs 12 crore near Jammu border
Chakraveni added investigators are working to establish whether more cases are linked to the same network.
Cases registered under BNS
Cases have been registered under Sections 143(4) and 143(5), read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to trafficking and organised crime. Additional charges have been filed under Sections 81 and 87 of the Juvenile Justice Act, which deal specifically with the sale and purchase of children.