Posing as customers, cops rescue infant from traffickers

New Delhi: A newborn girl who was on the verge of being sold to a random childless couple in the Capital was rescued after police personnel posed as decoy customers and arrested the traffickers who had brought the girl to be sold off in Budh Vihar area north west Delhi.

Delhi Police on Friday claimed that the two arrested accused, including a woman, were operating a gang which used to lure impoverished couples in remote areas of other states into giving away their young ones, on the pretext of giving them a better life.

Police claimed that in this case, the girl was brought from Fazilka district of Punjab, after the accused convinced her poor parents by saying that they would provide the girl a better life.

"The family had a more children. Convinced that the daughter will live a good life, they gave the accused their girl, reportedly without taking any money," said a police officer.

The officer further claimed that after getting the girl, one of the accused gave her to a woman, who reached Delhi to sell her.

On May 24, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police received a tip-off about the woman, after which a trap was laid wherein a female and a male constable posed as decoy customers and approached the woman in Budh Vihar area.

"The deal was finalised for more than Rs one lakh. The fake customers first gave the accused Rs 30,000 and after the accused showed them the girl, they signalled the nearby police team to nabbed the accused," said the police official.

The arresting team was formed by DCP (Crime) Rajesh Deo, and led by ACP Jasvir Malik.

"The accused woman was found to be pregnant, while her associate was identified as Pradeep," said an investigator.

Soon, the girl's family was traced and she was reunited with them. The family claimed that they did not take any money from the accused, and willingly gave her away to the accused.

Law enforcement officials further claimed that the gang has several members, who in on the prowl for poor people living in remote areas and have more children than they can properly take care of.

The gang targets families having kids till the age of five.

"Another group of the gang works in metropolitan cities, where they search for childless couple. After finding them, a contact is made by the accused, who ask for some amount of money for the child. After the deal is finalised, the child is brought and given to the family," said the investigator.

The gang usually would sell a child to a childless couple for anywhere between Rs 60,000 and Rs one lakh.