The Karnataka Police have apprehended seven individuals, including a managing director of a nursing college, a nurse, a tattoo artist, and an autorickshaw driver, for their involvement in a child trafficking racket in Tumakuru district. Reports indicate that the gang sold nine babies for sums ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh each.
According to police sources, the gang targeted childless couples, specifically focusing on unmarried mothers or women involved in extramarital affairs who became pregnant. The modus operandi involved taking the pregnant women to hospitals, forging birth certificates upon delivery, and subsequently selling the babies.
The investigation was triggered by a report from a couple who claimed their 11-month-old baby went missing while they were near a temple on June 9. A specialized police team located the baby and arrested K N Ramakrishnappa, a tattoo artist, and Hanumatharaju, both residents of Tumakuru town. During interrogation, the accused disclosed their involvement in selling multiple children to childless couples. Authorities suspect the gang may be part of a larger trafficking network.
