Reuters
Raipur, Jun 5: Officials in Chhattisgarh are investigating reports that a father had sold his newly born twin boys for just over 100 rupees in order to feed the rest of his family.
"It's a very serious issue," state Home Minister Ramvichar Netam told Reuters. "We are collecting details. Local officials could be punished for not providing timely economic help to the tribal family."
Newspapers reported on Sunday that a tribal woman, who already had five children, died on Friday after giving birth to the twins in a remote village near the industrial town of Korba, about 210 kms northeast of the state's capital, Raipur.
The 24-year-old father then took the boys to Korba and sold them to a childless couple, the reports said.
The couple have denied buying the infants but said they gave the man 100 rupees to help feed his family.