Kokrajhar (Assam): In a shocking incident, a father has been arrested for selling his four-month-old baby for Rs. 45,000 in Tontula Mandaria village under Kosugaon area in Assam's Kokrajhar district on Wednesday.
The accused father has been identified as Dinesh Brahma, a resident of the same village. Police have also arrested the Pranita Narzary and Rita Brahma (both brokers of the sold baby).
According to sources, the incident took place on July 7 when Brahma sold his four-month-old baby girl to a family hailing from Karbi Anglong for Rs.45,000.00 due to poverty in his family.
The matter came to fore when the villagers, who came to know about the incident, lodged a complaint with the Kosugaon police station. On being informed by the villagers, the NEDAN foundation's chairman and Kachugaon police rescued the baby girl from broker Pranita Narzary.
"Dinesh Brahma was working in a factory in Gujarat. However, he had to return home after the lockdown was imposed. We were told that financial hardship to run the family for the last few months had forced him to take the step," said Digambar Narzary, Chairman of the NEDAN Foundation of Kokrajhar.
"Dinesh had kept his wife in complete darkness about this. We were also told that members of a wealthy family in Karbi Anglong took the four months old baby away by paying Rs. 45,000 to Brahma. Some racket with vested interest helped Brahma strike the deal with the wealthy family and accordingly it was done," Digambar Narzary said.
An FIR was lodged with Kosugaon police station and a case registered No.99/20, under section(u/s) 370 IPC and accordingly, the police arrested three persons including baby’s father and other two brokers for their involvement with the baby-selling case.
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