Kerala woman sells baby for Rs.5,000, booked

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - A 40-year-old unwed mother has been booked for selling her new born boy to a childless couple for Rs.5,000 here, police said Thursday.

Ambika Kumari sold the baby to the couple last month but the incident remained under wraps till a few days back, police said.

House-surgeon Priya attached to the state-owned S.A.T Hospital here noticed a group of people and Ambika engaged in a heated argument in the hospital compound some days ago, police said.

“I found out that it was regarding a baby which the woman delivered last month and since she was an unwed mother she said she would find it difficult to go home with her new baby boy,” said Priya.

“With the help of a temporary employee attached to the hospital, she sold the child to a childless couple for Rs.5,000. The commotion was caused because Ambika wanted her baby back. I then informed the police, who took away all of them,” said Priya.

Police said since Ambika has not complained against anyone, no case was registered against the temporary hospital worker and the couple who purchased the baby.

A case was registered against Ambika and she was given bail, police said.

The baby is now under the care of “Amma Thottil”, a state run agency which looks after abandoned children, police said.

K.K. Shailaja, a Communist Party of India-Marxist legislator, said: “An inquiry should be launched to see if this is a one-off case.”

Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi said she will be able to comment after making an inquiry into the incident.