Udupi: Couple sells newborn child, case filed

Udupi Women’s Police Station has booked a couple for allegedly selling their newborn child.

The baby girl was born on July 19 to Rabia Banu and Khalid Syed. On August 6, Saritha D’Souza, an Anganwadi worker from Perampalli visited their house and found that the child was missing.

She informed the Child Protection Unit, following which social workers — Suraksha, Yogesh, and Saritha D’Souza — visited the accused’s home.

Upon arrival, they found the house locked. When they attempted to contact Khalid, he did not answer the phone, and later his mobile was switched off. Suraksha then filed a complaint at the Women’s Police Station. On August 7, the police traced the accused and brought them to the station.

During the interrogation, the accused revealed that they had illegally handed over the child to a resident of Mulki named Wajid. Subsequently, the Sub-Inspector of the Women’s Police Station called Wajid and instructed him to come to the station. He arrived with the child, but due to uncertainty about the legality of the child’s sale, a case could not be registered immediately.

Based on Suraksha’s complaint, a case has now been registered at the Udupi Women’s Police Station. For safety reasons, the mother and child have been placed in the Sakhi One-Stop Center in Udupi. The police are continuing their investigation.