Commission seeks report on mothers selling off children

SHRC chairman Justice S N Jha said two incidents were recently reported in a section of the media about the alleged sale of kids by their mothers.

Jha said in his note that on July 15 there was a news item, "'Woman sells 4-month old for Rs 62.50,' about a mother selling off her four-month old son to a Nepali couple for Rs 100 in Nepali currency (equivalent to Rs 62.50 in Indian currency)."

Although as per the subsequent follow-up report, the woman stated that she had gifted the child, "prima facie it seems to be an afterthought and made under duress or something of the like."

"It is unbelievable that a destitute mother living in a railway station would gift her four-month old son to strangers," the note said.

On July 19, another newspaper carried a news item captioned "'Woman's bid to sell daughters thwarted' about an attempt by a mother to sell two of her four minor daughters because the family had not had food for four days.

"These incidents, if true, would be reflective of failure of the administration to take care of the basic needs such as food and shelter to persons in the lowest strata of the society, and involving human rights issues and it seems appropriate to take suo motu cognisance of the same," he said.

The reports should be submitted within two weeks, he said.