Baripada/Saraskana: Jharpokharia police in Mayurbhanj district arrested three persons, including a couple and a Web reporter, for allegedly selling a two-month-old newborn in the area for Rs 2,000, police said.
Acting on a complaint, police rescued the newborn from Rairangpur and admitted the infant to Pandit Raghunath Murmu (PRM) Medical College and Hospital at Baripada.
The accused were identified as Prahallad Pratihari and his wife Liza Partihari of Sankhabhanga area under Saraskana police limits and Tapan Dandapata.
A case was registered in this connection and the accused were produced in a court, Monday. A sum of Rs 2,080 was seized from the woman, Jharpokharia IIC Subhransu Nayak said.
According to reports, the mother of the baby, who is also the complainant and deserted by her husband, is a native of Danadar under Jharpokharia police limits in the district. She had filed an FIR with the Jharpokharia Police Sunday in this regard.
As per sources, the woman was staying at Kundalbani area with the baby. However, as the baby was not keeping well, she decided to take him for treatment to Sirsa Community Health Centre (CHC).
She was returning home after getting her baby was examined by a doctor from the CHC when the Web reporter Dandapata waylaid her forcibly picked her and her baby on his vehicle and fled with them. He tried to lure her by offering money and other things and asked to hand over the infant to him. The accused even threatened her of dire consequences if she did not hand over the baby to him.
The woman refused to oblige when Dandapata called the couple to the spot. The childless couple reportedly lured her with Rs 2,000 and took the baby with them assuring her to get him treated by a doctor.
Soon after the woman became disturbed and alerted others about the incident as the couple did not return with the baby by evening. Soon people gathered at the spot, while police also reached the place and took stock of the situation. Meanwhile, Dandapata also reached the spot and tried to suppress the matter. However, people caught hold of him and beat him up black and blue in the presence of police.
Police rescued Dandapata and, on the basis of his information, rescued the baby from the house of the couple in Rairangpur. Police arrested Dandapata and the couple in this connection. However, the three have rejected the charges.
Meanwhile, the infant has been admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at PRM Medical College & Hospital for treatment. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
PNN