Cracking Down on Newborn Trafficking: Arrests in Udupi

Authorities in Udupi district have taken a significant step in curbing illegal activities related to newborn trafficking. Three people, one of whom is a doctor, have been arrested for their alleged role in the illicit sale of a newborn girl, as confirmed by police officials on Wednesday.

The case came to light when a couple, Prabhavati and Ramesh Moolya, from Kallugudde attempted to register the four-day-old infant at an anganwadi under the Poshan Tracker scheme. The anganwadi worker, noticing irregularities, questioned them. This led to the revelation that the child was not their own.

Investigations exposed that the baby, delivered on August 3 in Mangaluru to an unmarried woman, had been sold for Rs 4.5 lakh. The transaction was facilitated by Prabhavati's cousin, Priyanka. Following formal complaints, police have arrested Dr. Somesh Solomon, Vijayalakshmi alias Vijaya, and Navneet Narayan, who have confessed to their involvement. Further investigations aim to unearth others connected to this illegal operation.

(With inputs from agencies.)