Karnataka: Child trafficking- It's tough time for police to trace biological parents

Mysuru: Though the Mysuru district police had busted a child trafficking gang five months ago and rescued 16 children out of 19 sold to childless couples, they are finding it difficult to trace the biological parents.

District Child Protection officer R. Nagaraj said the police have so far been able to trace biological parents of only four children so far. "Police have established the identity of four children through DNA tests. But since the issue is still in Court, the custody of children is still not decided. So all the 16 rescued children, including nine girls, are being housed in child care institutions under the care of department of women and child development," Nagaraj said. Three children, who were allegedly sold to three NRI couples are yet to be rescued.

Mysuru district police had nabbed the gang, following the kidnap of a child in Nanjangud and currently the case is being handled by the Mandi Police.

It may be recalled that the prime accused are two private hospital officials, a nurse and a fake doctor. They had kidnapped children born in the two private hospitals in the city.

They used to get birth certificates directly in the name of interested couples, instead of biological parents. In one case the accused told parents that their child was born dead.

In some other cases they used to dissuade unwed pregnant women from undergoing abortion and on delivery they used to hand over the child to couples.