Husband accuses wife of selling baby for Rs. 2,000

The 11-month-old infant was rescued by child welfare authorities on a tip-off

The 11-month-old infant was rescued by child welfare authorities on a tip-off from the father in Mandya on Friday

An 11-month-old baby, who was allegedly sold to a couple by her poverty-stricken mother, was rescued here on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off that the child had been sold to a couple, officials of the District Child Development Protection unit (DCDP) and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) went to a house in Indira Colony here and rescued the infant. S. Diwakar, Mandya DCDP unit officer, told The Hindu that Nagma Banu of Gandhi 6th Cross had allegedly sold her third daughter for Rs. 2,000 to John Pasha and wife Shameena.

Nagma’s husband, Irfan Pasha, is an autorickshaw driver, while John Pasha is a painting contractor.

Irfan, who alerted the officials, told presspersons that his wife had sold the baby.

Nagma, on the other hand, told presspersons that her husband was addicted to drugs, and that she had not sold her child. She claimed that she had given the baby to Shameena as she could not afford to bring her up.

The baby was then taken to the CWC on Friday afternoon after completing necessary procedures, including recording statements of both the couples. The police are questioning both the couples.