AGRA: Hathras police rescued two six-month-old infants who were allegedly sold to childless couples for Rs 5 lakh each. The rescue operations were carried out in Delhi’s Naveen Puri and Vikas Puri areas on Thursday, officials said.
Two women—Madhu and Sonia, both in their late 30s and residents of Delhi—were arrested in connection with the child trafficking racket. Their full identities are yet to be disclosed.
Hathras SSP Chiranjeev Nath Sinha said that both the accused women, along with the couples who purchased the children, are currently being questioned. “An investigation is underway to determine the extent of the network and trace the infants’ biological parents,” he said.
Hathras DSP Yogendra Krishna Narayan added that a case has been filed against the two women under Section 143-(3)(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to human trafficking.
The rescued infants were presented before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and have been admitted to the district hospital. The CWC is expected to reconvene to decide on the children’s future custody, as their biological families have not yet been located.
This case follows a major breakthrough in an inter-state child trafficking racket last month. On May 16, Hathras police arrested six individuals, including the alleged kingpin Mallika Arjun from Andhra Pradesh, who were part of a gang that targeted couples struggling with failed IVF treatments.
The racket came to light after a four-year-old boy abducted from Hathras on May 9 was traced and rescued from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The investigation, which involved five police teams and scrutiny of over 500 CCTV footage clips, revealed the gang’s elaborate modus operandi.
According to police, the gang obtained information from fertility clinics about couples whose IVF attempts had failed. Exploiting their emotional distress, gang members approached them with offers to “arrange” a child for Rs 3–5 lakh.
Once a deal was struck, the gang scouted for a suitable child, often targeting families in extreme poverty. In some cases, children were sold by their parents; in others, they were abducted. The SSP explained that the gang would rent a house near the targeted family, gain their trust, and photograph the child to send to prospective buyers for approval.
Authorities are continuing their efforts to dismantle the entire network and trace all children who may have been trafficked.
