Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar police rescued a four-year-old girl who was allegedly sold for Rs 40,000 by her parents, natives of Bihar. The rescue, conducted within 24 hours of the sale, was made possible by the vigilance of the child’s landlord who reported suspicious activity to the Badagada police. Six people, including the parents, brokers, and the couple who purchased the child, have been detained.
According to police, the child’s parents, Subodh Sharma and his wife, were living in a rented house in Badatangi Sahi under the Badagada Police Station area. While the father worked as a carpenter, the mother had remarried. The child reportedly was her child from the first husband, which was causing family disputes.
The landlord, Sarthak Mohanty, observed unusual movements in his house and reviewed CCTV footage, which raised his suspicions. He heard the conversations and then lodged a complaint with Badagada police.
In this regard, on the information of Badagada Police Station Inspector Trupti Ranjan Nayak, a Case 748/24 has been registered on the basis of a complaint of human trafficking. Six people have been detained under BNS 143(4) . Among those detained include the couple from Bihar Subodh Sharma and his wife, the two lady brokers, Rashmi Rekha Sahu and Jali Lenka, a beauty parlour employee and the couple from Pipili Raghunath and Priyadarshini Behera.
Investigation revealed that the parents had agreed to sell the child for Rs 40,000 to a couple from Pipili. The two brokers facilitated the deal which was documented on a court stamp paper. However, a dispute over the commission between the brokers and the buyers delayed the final payment, drawing further attention to the transaction, police added.
Ruchika Childline social worker Harapriya Pati explained, “The deal was finalized for Rs 40,000, but infighting between the brokers and the buyers caused issues. This delay allowed authorities to intervene and rescue the child.”
Police rescued the girl from the Pipili area on Wednesday with the help of Childline members. CCTV footage, along with documents such as the stamp paper agreement and identity cards of the parents, was seized as evidence.
The rescued child will be presented before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for further care. Police are continuing their investigation to uncover any broader links to human trafficking in the area.
