Seven persons, including two women, were arrested after Alangulam police in the district busted a child trafficking ring on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police V. Vikraman told The Hindu that a one-month-old baby boy who was born out of an illicit relationship was kidnapped by the gang and given to a childless couple. The gang demanded Rs. 2.5 lakh from the the couple.
The couple, who were childless for 11 years, were deceived by the child traffickers that the baby was given to them only on completion of legal adoption procedures. Initially, the couple gave Rs. 50,000 to the traffickers and a few days later they gave them Rs. 1.10 lakh.
When the child traffickers demanded the remaining amount, the couple asked for the legal certificate from them for adopting the baby.
Subsequently, the couple were asked to meet the gang members in a hotel at Alangulam, where the accused told the couple that the baby was kidnapped. However, the baby had been under the care of the couple since October 7.
Now, the baby had been handed over to the Home for Children in Tirunelveli. S. Nainar (48) of Keelapavoor, the prime accused in the case, who had been arrested, was a relative of the couple, the SP said.
The other accused arrested in the case were S. Chairman (49) of Keelapavoor, T. Balasubramaniam (47) of Mela Pattamadayarpuram, S. Thangapandi (57) of Alangulam, A. Arumugam (55) of Alangulam, Ponuthai (67) wife of Perumal of Sambavar Vadakarai, a broker, and Arunachala Vadivu alias Esther (47) of Kadayanallur.
According to unconfirmed sources, the baby was kidnapped from Malayadipatti in Rajapalayam.
Based on a complaint lodged by T. Arunachalam (35) of Nehru Nagar, Keelapavoor, Alangulam police had registered a case under Sections 147, 294 (b), 506 (ii), 406, 420 and 366 of the Indian Penal Code.
The arrested were remanded in judicial custody, sources said.
