Basudevpur: A 3-day-old girl child was allegedly sold off by her father in exchange of money at Badamalliksahi village under Khaira Binayakpur panchayat, and this block in Bhadrak district.
Acting on a tip-off, a team from the district child protection unit (DCPU) and Childline launched an investigation into the matter Saturday.
The team members visited the village Saturday after receiving reports about the suspected child sale. However, the infant’s father identified as Sanjay Mallik, had reportedly fled before the officials’ arrival, while her mother escaped to her parental home in Tentulidiha village under Chandbali block in the district.
Their absence raised suspicion among the team members. According to locals, Sanjay, who already has an elder daughter, allegedly began harassing his wife, Banita Das, after she delivered another girl at Basudevpur hospital September 30.
After being discharged, Sanjay is suspected of illegally handing over the newborn to a man from Pirahat police limits in Tihidi block in exchange for money.
An Anganwadi worker said she visited the house Saturday for a routine postnatal health checkup but found neither the mother nor the child present, raising her suspicion.
Acting on the direction of the state child protection desk, the DCPU has launched a probe to determine how much money was involved and whether others were complicit.
Officials, including outreach worker Damayanti Das, case worker Chandrakanta Gochhayat, supervisor Digbijay Mohanty and counsellor Lakshman Kumar Jen, inspected the family’s residence.
With both parents missing, investigators said the inquiry has slowed down, but assured that all angles are being examined.
PNN