Officials rescue twin baby girls

Ongole: An impoverished couple reportedly sold their days-old twin girls at Pedapavani village of Lingasamudram mandal in the district recently. According to sources, the father of the children was married to a woman from Sankuvaripalem village of Kondapuram mandal in Nellore district eight years ago.

They already had a boy and a girl. As the she conceived for the third time, she was admitted in a private hospital in Kavali town of Nellore district on November 18. She gave birth to twin girls. However, driven by poverty, they decided to sell the infants. One was sold to person from Vetapalem village on the second day after delivery. Later, the second girl was sold to a person in Hyderabad.

The adopted ‘guardians’ paid the medical bills apart from giving money to the couple. As the news spread, staff from the Women and Child Welfare Development Agency swung into action and conducted an inquiry. Child Protection Officer Srinivas visited Pedapavani village and enquired the about the sale of children.

He collected details and traced out babies. At present the babies are in Child Protection Centre at Ongole. Officials filed cases and started inquiry. The officials said that parents would be provided counselling and the children would be declared as orphans if they refuse to raise the infants.