Seven persons arrested in child trafficking case

Seven persons have been arrested in connection with a child trafficking case, police said today.

Police had yesterday rescued a 15-day-old baby girl, who was about to be sold and had arrested a 23-year-old woman identified as Manga, they said.

Based on information provided by her, police today arrested six more persons from different locations including the prime accused Gangadhar Reddy (32), a native of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Deputy commissioner of police (Shamshabad Zone) PV Padmaja said.

Reddy faces similar cases in different police stations in Hyderabad on charges of being involved in baby selling rackets, the DCP said.

He had allegedly sold 12 babies out of which two babies have been rescued, the officer said.

"Reddy had earlier worked in infertility centres and formed a gang and hatched a conspiracy to sell babies to childless couples," Padmaja said.

Accordingly last week Manga brought the baby girl from Andhra Pradesh to the city, the officer said.

Police after getting specific information yesterday that the gang members were trying to sell the baby for Rs 83,000 conducted a raid at a house and rescued the baby and arrested Manga, though other gang members had fled.