Bengaluru: A couple from Bihar, identified as Pramila Devi and her husband Balaram, was arrested at Yeshwanthpur Railway Station in Bengaluru on Tuesday for kidnapping children. The couple was found to be carrying stolen babies and allegedly intended to traffic them to Bihar.
The Railway Police arrested Pramila Devi and Balaram around 11:30 am at Yeshwanthpur Railway Station after they were observed behaving suspiciously with a toddler and a six-year-old girl. The accused couple kidnapped the babies from Kodigehalli in Bengaluru in broad daylight, and the incident was captured on CCTV camera. The children, a girl and her toddler brother, were playing on the road when the woman approached them, and they walked away after talking for some time.
The couple allegedly planned to take the stolen babies to Bihar. Reports suggest that they did not have children after marriage and resorted to kidnapping with the intent to traffic the children. The Railway Police arrested the couple, and the stolen children were handed over to the Kodigehalli Police. The parents of the kidnapped children had registered a case at the Kodigehalli Police Station after the children went missing.
In November, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police in Bengaluru busted a baby-selling racket operating in the city and other parts of Karnataka. The racket involved Mahalakshmi as the main accused, targeting couples without children and selling them babies. The accused reportedly bought children from poor couples or convinced poor women to conceive babies for them, selling them to prospective parents.
Child Trafficking Concerns:
The incident raises concerns about child trafficking, especially when children are targeted for abduction and subsequent illegal activities. The arrests underscore the importance of vigilant law enforcement and the need for public awareness to prevent such crimes.
The police will likely conduct thorough investigations to determine the extent of the couple’s involvement, identify any potential accomplices, and ensure the safety and well-being of the kidnapped children. The incident also highlights the need for measures to address the root causes of such crimes, including poverty and exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
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