Child trafficking racket busted

Vijayawada: In a breakthrough, the NTR district police busted an organised gang involved in the illegal sale of children, by arresting 10 persons and rescuing five children during simultaneous raids at many locations in Vijayawada.

Giving the details during a press conference in Vijayawada on Thursday, NTR district Police Commissioner SV Rajasekhar Babu said that eight accused were apprehended, four children were rescued and Rs 3.30 lakh in cash was seized. Following further questioning, two more accused were taken into custody from the Two Town police station area, leading to the rescue of another child.

CP Rajasekhar Babu said that based on credible information, the Task Force teams, along with Bhavanipuram and Nunna police, conducted coordinated raids near Kummaripalem Centre in Bhavanipuram and the UDA Colony area under the Nunna police station limits.

Balagam Sarojini alias Balagam Sarojini of Sitara Centre, Vijayawada, allegedly masterminded the racket, he said. Further, he said, Sarojini procured children from Delhi and Mumbai through her associates and sold them to childless or infertile couples in and around Vijayawada for huge sums.

While the children were bought for Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, they were sold for Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, the CP said. Sarojini has a long criminal history and was previously arrested in illegal child trafficking cases in Medipally and Gopalapuram in Hyderabad, and in Nunna, Vijayawada, he said. Despite on bail, she continued the same illegal activity, he added.

Similarly, another key accused, Garikamukku Vijayalakshmi, has five prior cases registered against her in Mangalagiri, Eluru, Kodad, Jangaon and Suryapet police stations. Other accused acted as middlemen, caretakers, and facilitators in transporting and sheltering the children as per Sarojini’s instructions, he said. Several children sourced from Mumbai and Delhi were on sale through contacts in Bhavanipuram, Nunna, and Kothapeta areas, but were rescued in time due to police intervention, he explained.

Additionally, Rajasekhar Babu said that cases have been registered at Bhavanipuram, Nunna, and Kothapeta police stations. He stated that stringent action would be taken against all the accused by invoking the Preventive Detention (PD) Act and sending them to jail to prevent further offences. He also congratulated the Task Force and Law & Order officers for their effective coordination and swift action.

DCPs Krishna Kant Patel and KGV Saritha, ADCP G Ramakrishna, ACPs K Latha Kumari, SV Durga Rao and Sravanthi Roy, along with inspectors and staff, were present at the press conference.