A two-and-half-month old boy, who had been allegedly kidnapped and sold for Rs 1.6 lakh, was today rescued and five persons, including two women, were arrested, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, Tukaramgate Police solved the case within 24 hours and arrested G Sangeetha and her son N Aravind, who had allegedly kidnapped the boy.
Besides the mother-son duo, they also arrested N Sathish Kumar, who mediated to sell the baby to a couple -- D Rajaiah and his wife D Shyamala -- for a sum of Rs 1.5 lakh.
The couple was also arrested, Tukaramgate Police Station Inspector T Laxmi Narayana said.
One Ponnala Varalaxmi had lodged a complaint with the police yesterday stating that on the evening of February 8, she had slept along with her son near a statue in Tukaramgate area, but when she woke up after 30 minutes, she found her son missing from the spot, police said.
She suspected one Sangeetha, who resided on the upper floor of her house and had been visiting her since last three days, they said.
"During the course of investigation, it came to light that Sangeetha and her son Aravind kidnapped the boy and took him to Jubliee bus station, from where they went to Sultanabad of Karimnagar by a cab that was booked by the accused Sathish Kumar. The baby was then sold to Rajaiah and his wife for Rs 1.6 lakh at Sultanabad," Narayana said.
On suspicion, police apprehended Sangeetha, who during her interrogation, named Sathish Kumar. He was later nabbed and based on his information the accused Rajaiah and Shyamala were apprehended and the infant was rescued.
