Odisha Rocked By ‘Sale’ Of Newborns By 2 Poor Couples; Probe Ordered

Rayagada/Balangir: In a shocking incident, a poverty-stricken couple from Odisha’s Rayagada district allegedly sold the nine-day-old daughter for Rs 20,000 to a family in neighboring Andhra Pradesh.

The development comes close on the heels of an alleged baby sale incident in Balangir, prompting Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo to order a probe into the entire sequence of events.

In the fresh incident in Rayagada, the couple from Nuapada Colony under the jurisdiction of Chandili police station, reportedly has a three-year-old daughter and faced severe poverty.

As per sources, the woman gave birth to a second daughter at the district headquarters hospital on November 3. Her husband, Rahul Dhanbeda (25), works as a truck helper with a paltry monthly salary of Rs 1500. The couple reportedly approached a mediator, who facilitated the sale of the child.

Stating that the family does not have a ration card to get free food grains, Rahul said abject poverty forced them to take the step.

A notarised deed of adoption which facilitated the child’s change of custody said it was carried out without any force, fraud, coercion and influence. The deed, however, was severely flawed.

Rahul and his wife Kumud Ganta (22) allegedly gave away the newborn girl to a couple from Pedapenki village in Andhra Pradesh on November 11, nine days after her birth on November 3.

The Rayagada district child Protection unit, along with social worker Satyapriya Pradhan visited the family and enquired about the incident. The child welfare committee (CWC) and the Women and Child Development (WCD) department also began a probe.

This appears to be a case of illegal adoption caused by poverty and the family from Andhra Pradesh has been asked to present the child before the CWC, Pradhan said, adding that if the natural parents cannot afford to take care of the baby, they must hand her over to the government.

Kumud claimed since her family does not have a ration card, it was deprived of PDS rice and other government benefits. “The baby was not sold off. We gave her away as we are unable to raise her and the family adopted her,” she said.

The source said, a woman of Kottapeta village in neighbouring AP came to know of Kumud’s family and made the move for the alleged adoption. The woman frequents the Chandili area.

When Kumud shared her family’s hardships, the woman suggested they hand over the newborn to a childless relative of her. Accordingly, a deed of adoption was prepared in Rayagada.
The natural parents of the infant and the couple from AP have been asked to be present before CWC.

Earlier, a similar baby sale incident was reported from Balangir. Deputy CM K V Singh Deo has ordered a probe into the alleged sale of the newborn by a poor family in Sangurjibhata village under Balangir’s Khaprakhol block after he met the baby’s mother on Tuesday.

Accompanied by senior district officials, Singh Deo visited the village and interacted with Aruna Bati Nag, the mother, who claimed that she had ‘gifted’ her newborn to some unidentified persons because she was unable to raise her six kids.

It was during the interaction, the deputy CM enquired from the ANM about the child, bringing to light new facts on the whole episode. While Aruna Bati claimed she was helped by ANM Mamata Bhoi, the latter said the woman herself took the decision to send the newborn away because her impoverished condition did not allow her to raise her sixth child.

Singh Deo said he had learnt about the incident from media and directed the administration for an enquiry. “During our interaction, the mother said she was unable to raise six children which is why the family decided to give away the youngest one,” he told mediapersons.

The incident took place two weeks ago but came to light after members of the Childline lodged an FIR over the alleged sale.

Aruna Bati, mother of five including two sons, had given birth to her sixth child at Sunamudi health centre on November 2. The same day, she is reported to have given away her child allegedly for adoption

The incident came to light after the ASHA visited her house and reported the matter to child development project officer (CDPO). On November 13, the child welfare committee visited the village and directed lodging of an FIR. The baby is reported to be in a private hospital in Raipur.