Baby girl allegedly sold away by tribal couple rescued and shifted to care home in Eluru district

The infant is the third girl child of the couple, and her condition is stable, say WD&CW officials

An eight-month-old female baby was allegedly sold away at Ogirala Thanda, Nuzvid Rural mandal in Eluru district.

The baby girl was allegedly sold for ₹2 lakh to a couple Satya Venugopala Rao and Usha Devi of Duvva village in West Godavari district.

Following a complaint lodged by the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department officials, the Nuzid Rural police registered a case and took up investigation.

Daravati Vasundara delivered the baby, her third girl child, in November and her husband Daravatu Murthy, a Lambada tribal, had allegedly sold away the baby three days after the delivery through some mediators, said Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Nurani.

Police rescued the baby and handed it over to the WD&CW officials, said Nuzvid Rural SI T. Ramakrishna.

Ms. Vasundara, who visited the police station on Friday, staged a dharna at her house at Ogirala Thanda demanding restoration of her baby.

“The baby was produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and later shifted to the government-run Sishu Gruha,” District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Ch. Surya Chakraveni told The Hindu on Saturday. “The condition of the baby is stable,” she added.