Newborn sold to A.P. couple for ₹9 lakh, seven arrested
Seven individuals, including a doctor and a mother, have been arrested in Chennai for the illegal sale of a newborn baby to a couple from Andhra Pradesh. The investigation suggests that financial hardship and a dispute over the sale proceeds led to the discovery of the crime.
Why it matters
This incident exposes the vulnerability of impoverished families and the existence of illegal human trafficking networks within the healthcare system.
The Villivakkam police arrested seven persons on Thursday in connection with the alleged sale of a two-day-old baby girl. Police sources said a childless couple from Andhra Pradesh allegedly paid ₹9 lakh, including pregnancy-related expenses, to obtain the baby.
The accused were identified as Pavithra, 23, the baby’s mother; Selvarasi, 30, and Gnanasekaran, 35, the couple from Andhra Pradesh; middlepersons Dhanam, 50, Visalakshmi, 45, and Aandal, 45; and private hospital doctor Rajasekaran, 40).
Police sources said Pavithra and her husband, Ganesan, 25, are residents of Ezhil Nagar. Pavithra works as a daily wage labourer, while Ganesan is unemployed and has a history of criminal cases.
Pavithra was admitted to a private hospital near the Villivakkam bus depot for delivery a few days ago. She already has a son and, after giving birth to a second child, a girl, allegedly decided to sell the newborn, citing financial difficulties.
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