Two-year-old girl child sold for Rs 14,000 by Nanjangud couple, rescued

MYSURU: A couple from Neelakantha Nagar in Nanjangud reportedly sold their two-year-old daughter for Rs 14,000 to a family from Gundlupet. However, after an anganwadi teacher brought the issue to the notice of the authorities, the girl child was rescued.

Anil Kumar and Sowmya have three children aged 7, 4 and 2 and had reportedly sold their youngest daughter for Rs 14,000. Anganwadi teacher Lavanya said, “We maintain records of pregnant women since we provide food. When the child Amulya was found to be missing, I informed the child development project officer, who, in turn, informed the police”.

Anganwadi teacher Lavanya brought the issue of the missing girl child to the notice of the authorities.

Sowmya admitted that the Gundlupet family had paid Rs 14,000 for the child and added that they were refusing to return the girl till the money is paid back. She said the child’s grandmother had taken her to Mysuru when the daughter was exchanged for money.

Ananth, whose wife works as a counsellor at the anganwadi centre, said the anganwadi teacher Lavanya had contacted him about the child being sold. “After the police were informed about it, I called the other family and told them to return the child, but they demanded their money back. I advised them to first return the child. After the police arrived on the scene, they handed back the child”.

Anil Kumar and Sowmya were called to the CDPO’s office in Mysuru and the children are in the custody of the women and child development department, Ananth said. However, strangely, no formal complaint has been lodged so far, raising questions.