Kerala shocker: Father attempts to sell two-month-old baby for Rs 50,000

Kottayam (Kerala): Kerala Police on Sunday said they have taken three individuals into custody, one of them a migrant worker, for allegedly trying to sell a two-month-old child in Kummanam.

According to police, the toddler’s father is from Assam, while the other two men, identified as a buyer and a middleman, are from Uttar Pradesh.

Police received a tip-off from local residents that the Assam native was allegedly attempting to sell his child to a man from Uttar Pradesh.

"It was the child's mother who first informed the residents of her husband's attempt," an officer said.

A local resident told reporters that the mother disclosed her husband’s plan to sell their son for Rs 50,000 to settle debts.

"The family from Assam stayed near our house. The mother first told my wife about the attempt. She said a man from Uttar Pradesh, working in Errattupetta, had come on Saturday night to take the child, but she resisted," the resident said.

The neighbour added, "The father did not go to work and had borrowed money from several people. The buyer has three daughters and wanted a son. He and the middleman had been staying in the locality for the past few days to get the child. It is learnt that the father was given Rs 1,000 as an advance."

Following the tip-off, police quickly arrived at the scene, conducted an investigation, and took the three into custody for detailed questioning, the officer said.

Police added that a formal case would be registered after interrogation, and a decision on arrests would be taken. "We are recording the statements of the father and the other two men. The mother's statement also has to be recorded. The couple also has a five-year-old child," the officer said.