Human trafficking gang busted in Patiala, 7 held; 2 babies rescued

PATIALA: The police in Patiala claimed to have busted the gang allegedly involved in trafficking of infants and arrested seven accused, including two women.

The police also recovered two infants, an Innova car-turned ambulance, three cars and Rs 4 lakh cash from the gang members.

The police have identified the arrested accused as Baljinder Singh of Alowal village in Patiala, Amandeep Kaur of Anand Nagar in Patiala city, Lalit Kumar of Sunam, Bhupinder Kaur of Tripuri area in Patiala, Sajita of Madhepur, Bihar but presently living in Sunam, Harpreet Singh of Sanghera Feropatti village of Barnala district, and Sukhwinder Singh of Jhabbewali village of Muktsar district.

A case against all the accused has been registered at Sadar Samana police station under sections 370 (5), 120 B of Indian Penal Code and sections 81 of The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

The two infants were recovered from Amandeep Kaur and Sajita.

“Sajita had sold her baby to the gang members. Another infant was bought from Nabha division of Patiala district. The modus operandi of the gang was to identify poor families and convince them to sell their babies.

These babies were bought in order to sell them further.

No rules and regulations were being followed by the accused to buy and sell the infants.

“The accused bought the babies from poor families for Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 and sold them further for several lakhs. All those involved in the trafficking of infants will be nabbed,” said SSP Patiala Varun Sharma.

The police said that the gang members admitted to having sold around seven infants so far in the past few months. However, a probe in the matter was initiated to investigate that from where these gang members had abducted or purchased the infants and sold in the past.