Mangalore: Five Women Arrested for Trafficking of Newborn Baby Girl
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Nov 10: Five women have been arrested for being involved in the trafficking of a newborn girl, born of an illicit relationship, at Lady Goschen Hospital here.
The arrested are Yashodha, Champa, Pramila, Sukanya and Gulabi. Yashodha from Beltangady taluk, with the help of the hospital sweepers Pramila and Sukanya, sold her illicit newborn girl soon after the delivery in the same hospital. After the matter came to the notice of Venur police following a complaint filed by Venur residents, the police investigated the case and traced the five accused.
Addressing a press meet here on Saturday November 10, SP Abhishek Goyal said that Yashodha, whose husband was in Mumbai, delivered a girl baby on April 2, 2012 after being admitted at Lady Goshchen hospital the previous day. It was her second child. Yashodha’s elder sister Champa, an accused in the case made Yashodha stay with her.
Yashodha was reluctant to keep the child with her and planned to sell it off. Sweepers in Lady Goshchen hospital namely Pramila and Sukanya promised to help Yashodha in this case.
Goyal added that both the sweepers contacted an outside party, Gulabi, a beedi worker in this regard. Gulabi offered to buy the baby for Rs 22,000, out of which Rs 12,000 was shared by the two sweepers. Gulabi then sold off the baby to Jayaraj and Rajivi couple, residents of Varkady village in Kasargod taluk, 7 months ago. The couple were married for 25 years without a child. Jayaraj, a bank employee, did not follow any of the legal procedures in adopting the baby.
As per the direction of IGP, Western Range, Venur police stepped up the investigation and arrested Champa from Hosangadi, and based on her statements, Yashodha was arrested from Siddakatte, Pramila and Sukanya from Lady Goshchen hospital and Gulabi from Konaje.
The city's Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has taken charge of the baby, Harshitha, who is now seven months old. She will be looked after at Shree Ramakrishna Ashram, Puttur.
CWC chairperson Asha Nayak who was present at the press meet said that there are certain rules and procedures in adopting a child. The cumulative age of the couple has to to be 90 years, and at least one of them should have pursued SSLC as minimum educational qualification. Also, the couple need to have certain assets in their names.
"Those who wish to adopt the child need to apply at the adoption centre and must follow the legal procedures," she said.
However, Jayaraj and Rajivi couple were not charged under any section by the police.
Vanitha Thorvi of Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights who was also present at the press meet said that it has to be made compulsory for women who admit themselves in hospital for labour to show their identity cards.
"llicit pregnancy results in disrespect to the child and the mother too. In Yashodha's case, the person who fathered the child will be traced with the help of police and will be punished as per the law," she said.
Speaking to Daijiworld, Lady Goschen hospital superintendent Dr Shakuntala said that Pramila and Sukanya were not employed by the hospital management but were working as sweepers on contract basis. However, they will not be allowed to work at the hospital anymore and will be suspended, she added.
Sowjanya case
SP Abhishek Goyal said that the family of Sowjanya, who was found raped and murdered last month at Pangala, gave a written appeal to the IGP on Friday November 9 evening to hand over the investigation to CID. "Further action will be initiated," he said.soon, he assured.