COIMBATORE: The Salem police on Friday rescued a newborn girl sold by her parents for Rs two lakh due to financial distress.
According to police, Srinivasan, a daily wage worker from Santhanakadu in Salem district, and his wife Kavitha already have three children — one boy and two girls. The couple delivered their fourth child, a baby girl, at a government primary health centre in the locality on June 19.
Unable to care for another child, the couple decided to give away the newborn. Police said the infant was sold for Rs two lakh to a couple in Ramanathapuram through an intermediary.
Based on a complaint from health department staff, Kondalampatty police launched an investigation and traced the infant to Ramanathapuram. The baby was subsequently rescued and brought back to Salem.
The infant was handed over to officials of the District Child Welfare Committee and is expected to be placed in a child care home. Police said further investigation is under way to identify and apprehend the intermediaries involved and to probe the wider network.