New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS): With the arrest of eight persons, including five women, the Delhi Police on Tuesday said that it has busted an alleged inter-state human trafficking racket and rescued a newly-born girl child, around 10-15 days old.

Police said that the gang members indulged in buying and selling new-born babies in different states of north India and the newly-born baby, rescued from them, was purchased from Punjab for Rs 50,000.

The arrests came after a police control room (PCR) call was received on February 20 at Begumpur police station regarding the illegal sale and purchase of newborn babies in the area.

"The police team immediately reached the given address to verify the facts and discovered that two women in the house were in possession of a newborn girl child aged about 10-15 days," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rohini, G.S. Sidhu said.

During the inquiry, they could not provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the parentage of the child.

"Upon sustained questioning, they disclosed that they operated an inter-state human trafficking gang which buys and sells newborn babies in different states of northern India, and the newborn baby had been purchased from Muktsar, Punjab, for Rs 50,000," said the DCP.

They further revealed that they were waiting for the right purchaser for the baby.

"Accordingly, an FIR under sections 370(4), 120B, 34 IPC, and 81 JJ Act was registered, and both the women were arrested during the investigation," he said.

On questioning, the accused women also revealed names of other members of the gang.

"Multiple raids were conducted in Punjab, resulting in the arrest of six other members of the gang, including three females, in connection with the case," said the DCP.

"One of the women from whose possession the child was rescued in the area of the police station has previously been found involved in a human trafficking case registered at the Crime Branch police station,” said the DCP.

The accused were identified as Piyush Aggarwal, a resident of Jain Nagar in Delhi, Rajinder, and Raman, both residents of Abohar, Punjab and five women - two residents of Delhi and three from Punjab.