Cops nab hospital nurse, 4 others for child trafficking
August 23, 2012 / The Times of India
CHENNAI: The city police have busted a child trafficking racket with the arrest of five people including a private hospital nurse in Ambattur on Wednesday, a few days after an infant was found dead in the bushes near ICF.
The incident came to light, when a social activist, S Muthu, 52, informed the Ambattur police about a street brawl on August 17. Muthu, who runs a tiffin shop near Ambattur bus terminus, saw a woman abusing an elderly woman. Police picked up the two women. Inquiries revealed that nurse A Chitra, 28, a resident of Ambattur quarreled with Gnanasaraswathy, 70, a resident of Moogambigai Nagar in Veppampattu, after the child, sold to Gnanasaraswathy's son, died.
Based on Gnanasaraswathy's complaint, police registered an abduction case and arrested Chitra. Also arrested were Sheeba Rajakumari of Salem, Kumar, a hospital security guard, Palanivelu, a sweeper at the hospital, and Pugazhadevi. Police said Gnanasaraswathy told Chitra that her son wanted to adopt a child as he didn't have children even after 10 years of marriage. Chitra collected 1.4 lakh from her, promising a baby.
Rajakumari and Chitra approached a couple — Palanisamy and Gomathy — who delivered twin babies in February this year in Salem. As the children were born premature, they took them to the hospital. Doctors examined the children and told her one of the children had a hole in the heart. Palanivelu and Kumar approached the couple and bought the 25-day-old boy for 25,000. The child was brought to Chennai and Chitra handed over the baby to Gnanasaraswathy. Gnanasaraswathy took the child to a private hospital in Ambattur, where the doctors said the child was in a serious condition.
Gnanasaraswathy returned the child to Chitra and asked for the money back. But, Chitra refused to pay. Police said the boy died a few days ago and Chitra threw the body into the bushes near ICF.
The police busted the trafficking racket a few days after an abducted child was found dead in the bushes near ICF. Police found that the 25-day-old baby was bought for 25,000.