Binjharpur: Officials of the district child protection committee Wednesday raided the house of a resident in Naupal village here in Jajpur district and rescued a newborn girl who was sold off by her parents for `6000 after delivery due to poverty.
The girl was born to Lata Rana, wife of Baikuntha Rana of Ranpur village at Binjharpur community health centre Sunday. The couple after delivery sold her to a childless couple Bijay Kumar Sahoo and his wife Swarnaprabha in Naupal village due to their poverty.
Child protection officials led by their chairperson Bidyut Lata Das raided the house of Sahoo and rescued the newborn.
Later, they took the newborn to the hospital and conducted a health check-up. However, Rana and his wife expressed inability to bring up the baby due to their poverty and refused to accept her.
Later, they handed over the baby to Swarnaprabha for a brief period till final settlement of the case. Swarnaprabha expressed her readiness to bring up the baby.
Rana and his wife confessed to have taken the extreme step after an ASHA worker motivated them into selling the baby.
The ASHA worker contacted Sahoo’s mother-in-law Ramamani as the couple sold off the baby to her a few hours after delivery at `6,000. The couple admitted to have sold the girl due to poverty. The couple has two daughters and a son.
The team member also expressed surprise over the health condition of Lata and informed health officials to conduct a health check-up.
When contacted, Medical officer Sanjeev Kumar Mishra said disciplinary action will be taken against the ASHA worker and arrangements are being made to provide medical treatment to Lata Rana.
Das said the district child protection unit will provide financial assistance for studies and upbringing of Lata’s three other children. PNN
