Tirur police bust baby-selling racket; five arrested for selling 9-month-old for ₹1.5 lakh

MALAPPURAM: In a shocking child trafficking case, Tirur police arrested five people, all Tamil Nadu natives, for allegedly selling a 9-month-old baby girl for ₹1.5 lakh. The child was rescued safely after police acted on a tip-off from vigilant neighbours.

The infant’s mother, Keerthana, and her partner Shiva sold the baby to Aadhi Lakshmi, with the help of intermediaries Senthil Kumar and Premalatha. Aadhi Lakshmi, originally from Tamil Nadu but residing in Kozhikode, claimed she intended to raise the child as her own.

The child, born from Keerthana’s first marriage, was initially priced at ₹3 lakh before the deal settled at ₹1.5 lakh. The couple, who had been living in a rented home in Tirur, aroused suspicion among neighbours when the baby suddenly went missing. Their evasiveness during questioning prompted the neighbours to alert the police.

Upon interrogation, the couple’s statements did not add up, leading to the discovery of the illegal sale. Authorities swiftly located the child and shifted her to a government-run shelter. All five accused have been taken into custody.

The incident has raised serious concerns about child safety and human trafficking networks operating across state borders.