Bhadrak: A tribal couple of Kuans village here sold their seven-month-old boy for Rs 25,000 to a couple of Bhubaneswar.
Though the incident took place nine days back, it came to light Monday. Acting on a tip-off, Bhadrak ChildLine officials tried to unearth the reality and informed Town police.
Police detained the couple – Bandia Mukhi and Barsha Mukhi – and began a probe.
According to Sanjukta Malik, a ChildLine official, the tribal couple has two sons – Shiva Mukhi (10) and Om Mukhi (7 months) and a daughter Priya Mukhi (8).
A local broker managed to convince the couple to sell Om to a person of Bhubaneswar for Rs 25,000. The broker has taken Rs 2,000 from them, the couple said, adding the balance amount has been used for purchasing sarees, ornaments and a smart phone. The whereabouts of the kid was not known till the filing of this report.
While police are investigating to collect the address of the broker and questioning the couple on the reason behind selling their son, locals said poverty led the couple to take the step.
On the other hand, police came to know that there was difference of opinion between the couple overt the issue. Being a habitual drunkard, the husband might have sold his son under the influence of alcohol, police suspected.
ChildLine officials would soon visit Bhubaneswar to rescue the baby, it was learnt. PNN
