Children too are for sale in Namakkal, the Tamil Nadu district famed for the wholesale trade of chicken and eggs! A probe revealed that children are sold to couples in Kerala, Karnataka and even Sri Lanka. Authorities unravelled a well-established racket as it started investigating claims of 20 children being sold over two years. Baby sales are reportedly rampant in Rasipuram and Kollimala areas of Namakkal district.
Initial inquiry has found girls were traded most.
Manakkal Police Chief Arularasu said complaints have been registered and probe files handed over to the CB-CID. However, child, women or human rights panels in the state are yet to file a case even though Rasipuram MLA V Saroja is the social welfare minister.
Many officials of the Tamil Nadu health department recently scaled 70 hairpin bends to land at the houses in Kollimala situated 1,000 feet above sea level to inquire about child trade. In all 16 teams lead by its Deputy Director Dr G Ramesh Kumar are on the trail of such children. Five cases have been established so far. They are entering every home after collecting details of kids from hospitals, anganwadis and local governing bodies. Teams of doctors and nurses have been knocking at every door.
Many families left their house after news of trafficking spread. Neighbours have no details about either. Some families say their kids have left for relatives' place far away. A community health worker was manhandled for inquiries at Thillankeri in Palavali.
Investigators have also zeroed in on an agent’s bank account in Namakkal to which a large sum was transferred from Kannur in Kerala.
Namakkal is deemed to be the poultry hub of India.
Abuse of poverty
The news of trafficking came to light through a phone call demanding a child for a couple in Dharmapuri. Their middleman had approached an agent after the couple failed to bear a child after 7 years of marriage.
Amudavalli (Amuda 50) from Thattankuttai in Rasipuram is in custody after she was heard bargaining a price over the phone. Her husband Ravichandran (55) too is under arrest. Amuda was a nursing assistant in Tamil Nadu health department before retiring voluntarily in 2012.
The gang preyed on the poor. Their targets were poor couple who had more than one child, unwedded pregnant women and those who sought a boy. Girls who were sold were mostly born to couples who sought boys but had girls instead.
Agents approach couples in hospital immediately after childbirth. Biological parents get anywhere between Rs 25,000 to 95,000. When the child reaches prospective buyers, the price will be around Rs 6 lakh.
Amuda and gang approach potential buyers saying adoptions are complex – couple’s age, financial strength will be considered and subjected to scrutiny. Babies are priced differently too. Girls cost anything from Rs 2.5 lakh. More weight means higher price. Prices will vary from Rs 3.5 to 4 lakh depending on complexion of boys. The phone conversation spread on social media on April 24. Soon Amuda and husband were caught.
Big income
Amuda reached Rasipuram after working in Salem, Tiruchenkadu, Paramatthi and Veloor. She retired to concentrate more on her ‘business’. She took home children as young as 2 days old. The body of a 6-month old was found in the drainage on a road leading to Amuda’s house near Rasipuram bus stand recently. Amuda had two houses and two cars when she asked for transferred to Rasipuram. She bought another house here.
Taking stock
It will take days to tally the list of missing children and birth records in hospitals, say health department officials.
Any action can be initiated only after this list is available. Only recent cases will be probed now. It is uncertain what steps will be taken if these children are found. Many may have become part of the new family by now.
Apart from Amuda and husband, many other were arrested. Several other instances of child sale came to light as ambulance driver Murukesan, Bhavani native Selvi, Erode natives Leela, Arulsami, Parveen and Harina were nabbed. They worked at artificial insemination centres and hospitals. Murukesan brought children to Amuda.
Murukesan told police he gave 10 kids to Amuda from Kollimala. Parveen, who works at a private hospital in Karinkalpalayam, Erode sold two kids through Amuda. The police are watching hundreds of such agents. Medical facilities in Erode and Salem too have doubled up as child sale rackets, it is alleged.
Sold overseas
Children have been allegedly sold to couples in Sri Lanka too, says a complaint from Rasipuram native Viswaraj.
A child born to a couple in Nalikkalpatti at Salem Medical College on 24 February 2014 was sold to someone in Sri Lanka. Viswaraj’s complaint mentioned the address and phone number of the Salem couple and Sri Lankan buyers. However, the police have not confirmed it.
