Balasore: Odisha Police on Saturday rescued a two-and-a-half-year-old boy, who was allegedly sold by his father for Rs 1 lakh to a doctor in West Bengal.
According to sources, the incident took place at Barisahi village within Nilgiri Notified Area Council area and came to light after a video purportedly showing the father bargaining with a prospective buyer went viral. Following which, a local activist on Friday night filed a complaint wit
h Nilgiri police, which swung into action and detained both the father and the alleged buyer.
“The baby was rescued from Chiminibhati area and handed over to the child welfare committee. Further investigation is underway,” Nilgiri SDPO Pramod Kumar Mallick told PTI.
The father, identified as Rakesh Kumar Behera, works as a mason. He took his baby to Station Sahi locality two days ago and contacted some persons in connection with the alleged deal. He also received an initial payment of Rs 50,000 after agreeing, through an intermediary, to sell the toddler. “We have four children and are struggling to support them. An acquaintance set up the buyer, so I handed over the baby,” he told reporters.
Behera had married twice and the allegedly sold child was from his second wife, who was residing separately from him, the report added.