Kolkata: Police in West Bengal on Wednesday rescued a five-day-old girl who had been sold off by her father, just a day after she was born, allegedly for Rs. 25,000.
On Saturday, 22-year-old Salma Begum gave birth to a girl at Moynaguri Hospital in Jalpaiguri district’s Dhupguri. Next day, her husband Bulbul Haq allegedly sold the baby to a school teacher in the neighbouring Cooch Behar district. When Salma protested, her husband allegedly threatened to kill her and their son.
“I didn’t want money, but my husband said we are too poor to feed the baby. He had no money to get her married. He threatened to kill me if I complained. I want my baby,” Salma cried.
Unable to bear her bereavement, Salma went to the police on Tuesday morning. After a day long search, after detaining the man who Salma claimed was the middleman, the police found the infant in Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar district.
The father and the buyer of the infant were absconding till reports last came in. While the father is a daily wager, both the alleged middleman Atul Basak and the buyer Partha Biswas are school teachers.
“Atul Basak is a local primary school headmaster. He has taken away the baby, the mother has complained, tempting the father with cash,” said Sub Inspector Ram Barman of Dhupguri police station.
