Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police on Wednesday said it has rescued a kidnapped 11-day-old girl from the Troica City area of Loni and busted a human trafficking racket by arresting 12 people, including six women.
The police also said five more accused, including a couple, involved in the racket remain absconding. Investigations revealed that the group primarily sold infants in Andhra Pradesh.
Police said the mother of the child, during pregnancy, was approached by a woman who lured her to sell her child in return for ₹2 lakh.
“After giving birth, the woman was again approached with the offer, but she refused. However, on May 26, she discovered her newborn missing from their Troica City home,” ACP (Loni) Siddharth Gautam told HT.
The family approached the police, and a case was registered under sections 179 (use of fake currency), 143(4) (trafficking of persons), and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The girl was found in the accused possession, who was rescued and handed over to her family.
“The gang used to approach families with poor economic background and offer ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh to sell their infant children. These children were then trafficked to Andhra Pradesh,” DCP Ghaziabad (rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari told HT.
In view of the trafficking network’s interstate reach, DCP said, “We will alert the authorities in Andhra Pradesh to check the racket’s tentacles.”
Police said that during the probe, they also recovered fake currency totaling ₹2.9 lakh from the accused.
The fake currency is being examined to trace its supply chain and identify other suspects involved in the racket, they added.
