Ahmedabad, Jan 29 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Crime Branch and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) rescued a 15-day-old newborn from a moving vehicle near Kotarpur, close to Ahmedabad airport, and uncovered an inter-state child trafficking network, officials said on Thursday.

The operation was carried out following a tip-off. Officials intercepted a car arriving from Himmatnagar and discovered the newborn inside.

Four individuals were apprehended during the raid, including Roshan Agarwal of Hyderabad, Sumit Yadav of Uttar Pradesh, Vandana Panchal of Ahmedabad, and the vehicle’s driver, Maulik Dave. The infant was immediately handed over to the Child Health Officer for medical care and protection.

Police investigations revealed that the child had been purchased for Rs 3.60 lakh from a trafficker identified as Munna, also known as Yunus, in Himmatnagar. The accused were allegedly transporting the infant to Hyderabad to sell him to an agent named Nagaraj.

Both Munna and Nagaraj remain absconding, with multiple police teams working to apprehend them.

“This child is only 15 days old. We are investigating who the biological mother is and the middlemen involved. Vandana and Roshan have previously been caught in child trafficking cases in Hyderabad. After securing bail, they resumed the same criminal activity,” ACP Bharat Patel said.

Police records indicate that the network sources newborns primarily from the Sabarkantha and Banaskantha regions. “Munna had reportedly purchased the baby for Rs 60,000, cared for the child briefly, and prepared to hand him over in Hyderabad,” ACP Patel added.

Earlier, Hyderabad police had recovered three children linked to Vandana and Roshan, one of whom was traced to Ahmedabad, highlighting the inter-state scale of the racket. Officials are investigating the intended fate of the rescued infant, as such children are often sold to childless couples or trafficked under the guise of illegal adoption.

ACP Patel noted, “Infants are often trafficked when mothers face societal pressures, including pregnancies outside marriage or other sensitive circumstances. Apprehending Munna is essential to tracing the child’s biological parents.”

This case follows a similar bust six months ago, when Ahmedabad Rural Police uncovered a trafficking gang involved in abducting children from Dholka and selling them in Maharashtra, which led to the arrest of four individuals, including a nurse employed at an IVF centre.

Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing, and efforts are underway to dismantle the entire trafficking network.

–IANS

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