13-Member Child Trafficking Gang Busted In Telangana
20 kids sold to childless couple, 10 rescued - Sources
NALGONDA: Suryapet Police busted a 13-member child-trafficking gang that allegedly sold at least 20 infants to childless couples across Telangana and neighbouring states. Ten children — seven boys and three girls, all under two years old — were rescued during raids in Suryapet, Nalgonda and Hyderabad, Superintendent of Police (SP) P. Vijay Kumar announced on Wednesday.
Police arrested the main organisers — Nakka Yadagiri (45) and his wife Nakka Umarani (32) of Suryapet. Presenting the arrested gang members at a media conference at Suryapet DPO, Superintendent of Police K. Narasimha, said the duo ran an egg-trading business and scouted for childless couples. Their accomplices — Kore Nagendra Kumar (37); nurses Kotte Rama Laxmi (37) and Erpula Sunitha (32); Pilla Pavani (37); Garikamukku Vijayalakshmi (42); Amudalapalli Satyamani (46); driver Sabavath Sriniv (22); Mudavath Raju (35); Itha Shobarani (52); Khan Shaheena (33); and Md. Shahana (40) were also arrested. Several suspects already face trafficking cases in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
While the girls were sold for ₹10,000 – ₹2 lakh; boys were being sold for ₹5 lakh – ₹10 lakh. During rescue operations, six boys and three girls were recovered from couples in Suryapet and Nalgonda districts. Two baby boys were found in Tekumatla, two girls in Suryapet town, one girl in Uppalapahad, another in Chinna Suraram, one boy in Hyderabad and three more in nearby villages. All children have been produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and shifted to the Shishu Gruha in Nalgonda. Police are tracing at least 10 more children believed to have been sold by the syndicate. Investigators say the network extended to Maharashtra and Gujarat.
SP Vijay Kumar said the arrests followed a tip-off about two recent infant sales: “The gang fixed prices according to gender and arranged forged documents. We are working to reunite every child with biological parents where possible.”
District Child Protection Officer Ganesh confirmed shelter arrangements for the rescued infants, while CWC chairperson Ramana Rao urged couples seeking adoption to follow legal procedures through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
The accused face charges under the IPC, the Juvenile Justice Act and relevant sections of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
