Child sale: Dharwad police arrest six persons

The Vidyagiri police in Dharwad have arrested six persons, including a couple, over the alleged sale of an infant and remanded them in judicial custody.

The arrested have been identified as Bharati Manjunath Walmiki, 48, Ramesh Manjunath Walmiki, 48, Ravi Bhimsen Hegde, 38, Vinayak Arjun Madar, 27 — all from Dharwad — and Vijay Basappa Negalur, 41, and Chitra Vijay Negalur, 37, residents of Udupi.

According to the police, the accused had given a hand loan of ?50,000 to a couple and had demanded ?1,50,000 in return. The couple could not pay back the amount and the accused forcibly made them sell their one-month-and-ten-day-old baby boy to an unidentified couple for ?2.5 lakh and had taken back their money. Subsequently, the distraught mother complained to the police on Friday about the incident.

Payment for custody

Following this, the police arrested the six persons. The infant has been entrusted to the custody of the Child Protection Committee in the district. The couple from Udupi had allegedly paid money to get the child’s custody.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Labhu Ram has appealed to people to approach banks and recognised financial institutions for loans instead of moneylenders operating illegally. He has also sought information from the public on such moneylenders.

The Police Commissioner has also said that it is illegal to adopt children without following the legal procedure, and such couples were liable for punishment. He has appealed to childless couples to approach the competent authorities for adoption.

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