On 18 August, Salem district child protection officer P Sandhya received information that the couple had sold the baby for ₹1.20 lakh.
Published Aug 25, 2025 | 1:07 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 25, 2025 | 1:07 PM
Arrest. (Representational image. Credit: iStock)
Synopsis: The baby was rescued and placed back to Sivagami, since she is the biological mother, under the supervision of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Further investigation is underway.
The All Women Police Station in Sangagiri has booked four persons, including a couple, on charges of selling their newborn daughter for ₹1.20 lakh.
Police identified the accused as Santhosh (27), a daily wage worker, and his wife Sivagami (24), of Ramapuram Anjaneyar Koil in the Reddipatty area of Veerapandi panchayat union.
The couple, who already have a daughter, handed over the infant to Ranjith (48), a Bengaluru-based labourer, with the help of their relative Devaraj (43).
Officials said Sivagami delivered the baby girl at a private hospital in Bengaluru on 9 August. The couple returned home on 16 August and reportedly told relatives and neighbours that the child, whom they claimed was a boy, had died two days earlier. They even produced a medical record to support the claim.
On 18 August, Salem district child protection officer P Sandhya received information that the couple had in fact sold the baby for ₹1.20 lakh.
Two days later, she lodged a complaint with the Magudanchavadi police, who conducted inquiries at the couple’s residence.
“It was found that Sivagami had given birth to a girl, and the baby had been sold to Ranjith through Devaraj on 14 August,” a police officer said.
The case was subsequently transferred to the All Women Police Station in Sankagiri, which arrested Santhosh, Sivagami, Ranjith, and Devaraj.
The baby was later rescued and placed back to Sivagami, since she is the biological mother, under the supervision of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Further investigation is underway.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
