Pramesh S Jain & Yogesh K Porwar
A
gossip at the Kunigal government hospital premises helped the officials of the women and child welfare department to rescue a new born baby boy being sold to a child less couple .
Based on the complaint by Huccharangamma,senior supervisor of women and child development department,the Kunigal police swung into action and arrested five people including a 45-year-old Anganawadi worker who mediated the sale .
The baby was rescued from the couple and presently being treated at the hospital under the supervision of the department .
According to the complainant,she received a tip off from her source in the hospital about people gossiping about the sale of a new born baby boy on Monday.
She rushed to the hospital and conducted inquiry to found that a 21-year-old woman from Magadi taluk was admitted to the hospital after she complained stomach ache,where she delivered a baby boy .
Since the mother was unmarried she along with her male friend Srinanda,24,a labourer and decided to give away the baby.Srinanda contacted her relative identified as Jyothi N for help .
Srinanda had an affair with the woman promising marriage and later refused to marry her after she became pregnant.
The accused assured to help her abort and later got her admitted to the hospital after she complained severe stomach ache .
The accused contacted the Anganawadi worker Jyothi Dayananda who approached Mubarak Pasha and his wife,a childless couple and clinched a deal for ₹ 60,000.
The accused as per the deal came to the hospital handed over the baby at the hospital premises after discharge and dispersed after taking the money.
The Kunigal police track down Mubarak Pasha, a labourer and rescued the baby boy,while arrested the other four people including the mother and her male friend .
The police summoned the families of both the accused and counselled them before admitting the baby at the hospital for necessary care .
The accused have been booked under section 80 (adopting a child without following the prescribed procedures)and 81(Sale and procurement of children for any purpose) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act for further investigation.
The Tumakuru district police have launched an awareness drive against offences related to women and children and also about the ill effect of child marriage .
