Child trafficking racket busted, 5 held

Kolkata: Five persons, including the owner of a private nursing home in North 24 Parganas district, were arrested on Saturday on the charge of being involved in the trafficking of a 11-day-old infant, police said. 

The arrested persons also included a couple who allegedly sold the newly-born girl for Rs 60,000.  The two others were the nursing home's caretaker and a quack attached to the facility, police said.  

The incident came to light after the couple went to a hospital with a newly born girl, who was ill, but failed to produce documents regarding her birth. Suspecting foul play, the hospital authorities informed the police who questioned the couple and came to know the details of the racket.  

The police are in the dark about the child's parents. They have sought the nod of a local court to seal the nursing home. The court remanded the caretaker and quack to eight days’ police custody and others to judicial custody.