Chandigarh: ASHA workers, police constable among 5 arrested for running child trafficking racket

The gang members have reportedly confessed their involvement in the selling of at least two children including one in Delhi and another at Chandigarh.

Police investigation revealed that the gang charged Rs 4 lakh for a male child and Rs 1 lakh for a girl child.

“A deal was struck with the gang members through a decoy customer, who had agreed to pay Rs 4 lakh for a male child. The child was born last Saturday afternoon at a hospital at Malerkotla in district Sangrur. The two ASHA workers were identified as Sarabjeet Kaur of Sangrur and Kuldeep Kaur of Patiala district,” a source said.

Meanwhile, the police said that the constable, Amarjeet Singh, is a resident of Kharar in Mohali. The other two accused also belong to Punjab.

Inspector Paramjeet Kaur Sekhon, SHO-PS 31 said: “We received information about the illegal sale of a child by a Punjab based gang. We prepared a decoy customer. A deal was struck in Rs 4 lakh for a male child. Five accused were coming along with the child to sell in Chandigarh. They were caught near Airport Light Point Dakshin Marg last night. Punjab police constable Amarjeet Singh is a driver with an SHO of PS Balongi in Mohali. They were all traveling in his alto car.”

“The rescued child was shifted to a government hospital. Efforts are being made to trace his parents,” Sekhon added.

“It is a matter of investigation that either accused stole the child or struck a deal with the parents of the child. So many aspects are yet to be investigated. We have identified a girl child who was earlier sold in Chandigarh. She will recover shortly. The ASHA workers used to keep a tab on the expected women in their jurisdictions,” the source told.

A case has been registered at Police Station-31  in Chandigarh.