Dad sells newborn for Rs 2,000 in Mangalore

DHNS

Mangalore, 29 August, 2011: In a bizarre incident, a man here on Friday sold his two-day-old son for Rs 2,000 without the knowledge of his wife.

 

The incident came to light when the baby’s mother, Lakshmi, approached the police after realising that the newborn was missing.

 

Lakshmi had given birth  to the baby on Friday. Police said that Lakshmi’s husband, Kalandar alais Ravi, who was unemployed and was frustrated by lack of resources to sustain the family, reportedly decided to sell the baby after the birth of their second child. The couple already has a three-year-old son.

 

With a motive to sell his newborn son, Ravi started making enquiries in the region and chanced upon a family who did not have any children since their marriage about 14 years ago.

 

Ravi immediately approached the family and sold the two-day-old baby for Rs 2,000 on Saturday.

 

When Lakshmi realised that her baby was missing, she approached the police, which swiftly swung into action. But, by the time, the police reached the tent, where the family had been staying, Ravi had fled the scene.

 

After vigorous investigation,  the police succeeded in tracing the baby to one Anwar, a resident of Bolar, who admitted to have purchased the baby for Rs 2,000.

 

Police have handed over Lakshmi and her sons  to Child Welfare Committee while Anwar is in police custody, said Kalavathi, Inspector of women’s police station, Mangalore.

 

According to Lakshmi (19), a native of Hassan, she had married Ravi (25), also from Hassan, a few years ago. As the couple could not succeed in getting any work in Hassan, they came to Mangalore about a month ago in search of work and stayed in a tent (makeshift arrangement) at Morgan’s Gate in Mangalore.

 

At the time of their arrival, Lakshmi was eight-months pregnant and gave birth to the baby on Friday.