Alert residents of Belur rescued a woman, who was attempting to sell off her nine-month-old baby boy for a sum of Rs.2,000 due to poverty, with the help of local police and officers of the Women and Child Development Department.
Veena (30) was found begging in the streets of the town on Wednesday. She was seen approaching people in the bus-stand and other busy areas and asking them to take her baby and give her Rs.2,000. A few youths, who noticed it, enquired her about her whereabouts and informed Belur police as well.
The woman said she was from Hosadurga. She was married a couple of years ago and she gave birth to the baby nine months ago. Her husband died of ill health seven months ago. Her parents died long ago and her in-laws sent her out after her husband’s death. As she had no source of income, she had been begging, moving from one place to another. She told the police that she decided to sell the baby only because she was worried that it would not get nutritious food and other facilities if it remained with her.
The police took the woman and baby to the police station and informed the officers of Women and Child Development Department. K.S.Sarala, Child Development and Programme Officer (CDPO), told The Hindu , “We have kept her in Santvana Kendra in Belur. Both the mother and baby have been provided with food and proper care. We are collecting details from her.”
