Babies on sale: Gujarat police bust inter-state trafficking racket; fair-skinned infants bought for Rs 7L, dark-skinned for Rs 2–3L

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat police probe into the recently busted inter-state child trafficking racket revealed that skin colour was a key determinant in deciding the child's ‘market value', followed closely by gender. Infants with a fair complexion fetched a higher price of Rs 6-7 lakh, while a dark-skinned child sold for Rs 2-3 lakh.The inter-state child-selling racket between Gujarat and Telangana was recently busted by the Ahmedabad crime branch and Gujarat Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS).Sources in the crime branch confirmed that fair-complexioned children were priced up to Rs 7 lakh each, while those with darker complexions fetched Rs 2-3 lakh each. Sources said there was a greater premium on the male child—girl children were sold for Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh each, while boy children were offered for Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh each. The racket came to light after a police operation on Jan 29 led to the rescue of a newborn who was transported from Himmatnagar towards Hyderabad.Acting on specific intelligence, a crime branch team intercepted a car near Ahmedabad airport. A newborn was found in the vehicle, following which 4 persons were arrested.The accused were identified as Vandana Panchal (34), Sumit Yadav (27), and Maulik Dave (32) of Ahmedabad, and Roshan Agrawal (42) of Hyderabad.Police said the accused were part of a larger network that sourced infants from vulnerable families in Gujarat and supplied them to buyers in Telangana.The newborn was placed under medical care, as efforts to trace her biological parents continued. Police identified the area from where the infant was allegedly bought but so far found no leads on her parents' identity.During interrogation, the accused told investigators that the newborn was purchased near Himmatnagar for Rs 3.6 lakh and was meant to be "resold" in Hyderabad to an agent identified only as Nagraj.Cash, mobile phones, and the vehicle of the accused were seized. Digital data is being analysed to trace contacts and payments.Amid the widened probe, police determined that at least 10 children from Banaskantha and Vav-Tharad districts were allegedly sold to childless couples in Hyderabad. Investigators said the gang primarily targeted tribal pockets of north Gujarat, where poverty and the lack of support made families easy targets.A senior crime branch officer told TOI, "These accused persons identified childless couples with the help of their acquaintances in IVF centres in Hyderabad." The officer said, "After identifying a couple willing to pay for a baby, the accused hunted for a child—mostly fair-skinned and good-looking, as stipulated by societal norms."Police said many of the trafficked children were born out of wedlock. "The parents of such babies wanted to get rid of them," the officer said. In a few cases, parents died and relatives sold the children to the accused.Officers said the investigation is now focused on the money trail and the role of IVF centre contacts and agents operating across state lines.Cases were registered under the BNS and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.