Indian woman sells newborn for INR 150,000 to settle husband's debts

Police in India have arrested a 40-year-old woman for selling her 30-day-old baby to pay off her husband’s debts, Indian media reported on Wednesday.

According to Economic Times, the infant was rescued by authorities after being sold for INR 150,000, and has since been placed in a welfare home in Mandya.

The incident took place in Ramanagara district, Karnataka state where the woman’s husband, who had suspected his wife’s involvement in their child's disappearance, had filed a missing person report on December 7, two days after the baby went missing.

“I have loans of over INR 300,000, and my wife suggested to me some days ago that we could sell our newborn to a childless couple for money to settle our debt. But I flatly refused, saying she should never think like that,” the father told police.

The father recounted that upon returning home on December 5, he found his son missing. His wife told him that their son had health issues and was sent to a doctor with a relative.

However, after further questioning, the father grew suspicious and demanded more details about the doctor and the relative. When his wife refused, the couple had a heated argument, and the father sustained a cut on his head.

His suspicions led him to file a complaint with the police, who then interrogated the mother. "She tried to mislead us by saying the infant was with her relative. When questioned further, she confessed to selling the baby for INR 150,000 to a single woman in Bengaluru," an investigating officer said.

Police arrested the mother and two accomplices involved in the sale, along with the woman who purchased the baby. Authorities have successfully recovered the infant, who is now in a safe welfare home.