Madhya Pradesh: ‘baby farm’ discovered in hospital, five people arrested
Infants were sold to childless couples for US$ 1,500. Mothers were convinced to complete unwanted pregnancies and give their babies up for adoption. But then hospital staff resold them illegally. Babies were born out of illicit affairs or rape. India has one of the worst rape problems in the world.
Bhopal (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Police in Madhya Pradesh discovered a “baby farm” in a private hospital that was selling and swapping unwanted new-borns for around US$ 1,500.
Five people have been arrested, including the hospital director and a manager who employed a gang to find girls and young women with unwanted pregnancies.
The infants, who were usually born to women who were raped or involved in illicit relationships, were sold to childless couples. “Three others have been sold to childless couples in Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” said Prateek Kumar, a security official.
“When a girl or her parents approached them for termination of pregnancies, doctors at this hospital used to convince them assuring a safe and secret delivery,” an investigating officer said.
“Once the baby is delivered and [the] mother gets discharged, hospital authorities start hunting for gullible couples” willing to “buy them.”
Those arrested have been charged under sections 370 (buying or disposing of any person as slave), 371 (Habitual dealing in slaves) and 373 (buying minor for the purpose of prostitution).
Currently, police are trying to track down some of children, but with little hope of finding them.
Every year, thousands of children are born as a result of illicit relationships or rape. In fact, the latter is very serious problem.
The latest figures indicate 33,707 rape cases in 2014, an increase of 9 per cent over the previous year with 38 per cent of the victims under the age of 18.
.png)
