Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 9: Social activists Saturday rescued a three-day-old boy who was sold by his mother to a woman for Rs 50,000 at Capital Hospital, from Laxmisagar area. The shocking incident was first published by prominent Oriya daily Dharitri in its Saturday edition.
Sources said the baby boy was born to an unmarried young woman at Capital Hospital, and was sold to a woman hailing from Rasulgarh Friday.
The deal between the mother and the woman was reportedly brokered by a nurse at the hospital, whose role is under investigation by police.
“The child’s mother initially agreed to sell her baby for Rs75,000. She took an advance of Rs 50,000 from the buyer. After the baby boy was born, the nurse in question took him to a relative’s residence in Laxmisagar as the buyer was tied up in some family function,” a source close to the investigation said.
Soon after news broke of the incident, the nurse’s relative fled with the child Saturday. However, she returned to her residence with the baby after social activists and journalists stepped up efforts to bring the child back to his mother.
Child Protection Officer Banashree Patnaik took cognizance of the matter and assured she would personally look into the matter, besides hinting that the role of the nurse in the incident will be thoroughly scrutinised.
The infant is now in the custody of the Child Welfare Committee. A case was lodged by an NGO in this regard with Laxmisagar police.
