13-year-old orphan sold illegally to couple rescued

A 13-year-old boy staying in a orphanage here was allegedly sold to a couple and was rescued from Srivilliputhur, police said Tuesday.

This came to light on Sunday when the administrators of the orphanage, which is a home to 50 boys, could not produce the boy when one of his relatives came to meet him, they said.

As the orphanage administrators were evasive in their replies when the relative asked for the boy, a complaint was lodged with the police.

On investigation, it was learnt that the boy had been given in adoption to a couple for an undisclosed amount without following any of the norms, they said.

"In fact, the couple had taken the boy away with them just by giving a huge amount of cash without following any rule," said the police, who later traced the couple to Srivilliputhur and the boy was handed over to his relatives on Monday.

When queried, the couple told the police that they were not aware of the rules for adoption and that they had merely taken the boy after giving the orphanage some money.

The orphanage authorities were being interrogated, they said.