Pune: Major Human Trafficking Ring Busted In Wakad, Six Women Arrested For Selling Newborns At Rs 6 Lakh
Varad Bhatkhande
Wakad, 13th April 2024: The Pimpri Chinchwad police have busted a network of women involved in the illegal trafficking and sale of newborns for a price of Rs 6 lakh. The operation included the arrest of a nurse from a private hospital in Pune and revealed that these women had sold five newborns in the Pune district. The bust occurred on Friday (12th April) in the Jagtap Dairy Chowk of Pimple Nilakh under the jurisdiction of Wakad Police Station.
The individuals arrested include Saida Bhimrao Kamble (35, from Shivajinagar, Pune), Supriya Sharad Waghmare (39, from Dhankawadi, Pune), Lalita Dattatray Girigosavi (45), Amarin Rahim Syed (32, both from Yerawada), Afrin Danesh Sheikh (25), and Asma Javed Shaikh (30, both from Hadapsar, Pune). The court has remanded them in police custody until 16th April. Police constable Vandu Dattatray Gire filed a complaint at the Wakad Police Station.
ACP Dr Vishal Hire revealed that a tip-off led to the discovery of women attempting to sell newborn babies in Wakad. In response, a sting operation was organized, during which women arrived in two rickshaws with seven-day-old babies intended for sale. When questioned about the babies, the women provided vague answers. After being detained and interrogated, the six women admitted to one seven-day-old baby to sell for Rs 5 lakh. It was also disclosed that they had previously sold five other babies for substantial sums of money.
A nurse from a private hospital in Pune is involved in the conspiracy, acting as a broker. She would reach out to those who were unable to conceive but wanted children, as well as to women with more children who were willing to sell them. The price for the babies ranged from Rs 5 to 6 lakh, depending on the financial status of the buyer and the gender of the newborn. The proceeds were distributed among the participants, including the nurse, who received between Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh each. The investigation is ongoing to identify the biological parents of the babies. So far, five babies have been sold in Pune, with the illegal activity continuing for two years.
ACP Vishal Hire also mentioned that the transactions were conducted in cash, and further investigation will reveal the exact locations where the newborns were sold and the full extent of those involved in the operation.
The operation was carried out under the leadership of Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinaykumar Choubey, Additional Commissioner of Police Vasant Pardeshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 2 Bapu Bangar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Wakad Division Dr. Vishal Hire. Senior Police Inspector of Wakad Police Station Nivrutti Kolhatkar, Police Inspector (Crime) Vitthal Salunkhe, Police Inspector Ankush Nale, Police Sub Inspector Sachin Chavan, and other members of the DB were also involved in executing the operation.
