Child sold for Rs 1 lakh, woman nabbed

Salem: A nine-month-old girl from Salem was kidnapped and sold for Rs 1 lakh in Kanyakumari district.

The police have rescued the child from an NGO, Karunai Illam in Nagercoil and are interrogating its secretary Jhansi Rani, who had allegedly bought the baby for Rs1 lakh. A relative of the child’s mother has been nabbed for kidnapping and selling the baby.

According to the Salem police, 27-year-old Jayaseela alias Nandhini, who had separated from her husband, was living with her baby Anusha at Maramangalathupatti.

However, a few days ago, Jayaseela’s child went missing and a complaint was lodged with the Salem police. In her complaint, Jayaseela claimed that she suspected that her relative Sumathi Sahadevan in Harur in Dharmapuri may have stolen the child. When Sumathi was nabbed, she revealed that the child was taken to Nagercoil and sold to a 65-year-old agent S.Deepa, for Rs 30,000.

Meawhile, Deepa sold the child to the Karunai Illam secretary Jhansi Rani for Rs 1 lakh. The rescued child has been handed over to mother Jayaseela. The police have nabbed Jayaseela’s relative for kidnapping and selling the baby.

The police are interrogating social worker Jhansi Rani and other touts involved in the racket.