Gwalior: A so-called “baby farm” was uncovered in Madhya Pradesh where unwanted newborns are being bought, sold and swapped.
According to the Times of India, babies born to women who were raped or born out of illicit relationships were being delivered and sold for adoption for around Rs 1 lakh each from Palash Hospital in Gwalior’s Murar area.
This trafficking racket at Palash Hospital was running the illegal trade for the last four years.
Police raided the hospital on Saturday night following a tip-off about trafficked infants and rescued two new-borns.
It is believed that the hospital used “agents” to fetched girls with unwanted pregnancies.
Prateek Kumar, ASP crime branch told the TOI: “When a girl or her parents approached them for a termination of pregnancies, doctors at this hospital used to convince them assuring a safe and secret delivery.
“Once the baby is delivered and the mother gets discharged, hospital authorities start hunting for gullible couples who could buy them.”
Five people including hospital Director TK Gupta, manager and couples who bought babies from the hospital have been ‘booked’ under sections 370 (buying or disposing of any person as slave), 371 (Habitual dealing in slaves) and 373 (buying minor for the purpose of prostitution).
Police are now dispatching teams to search for couples who bought the babies earlier from the hospital.