Toddler ‘sold for Rs 1 lakh’: Odisha Police rescue baby boy in Balasore; father, buyer detained

BALASORE (ODISHA): The Odisha Police rescued a two-and-a-half-year-old boy who was allegedly sold by his father for Rs 1 lakh, officials said. Both the father and the suspected buyer have been detained.The case surfaced after a video, purportedly showing the father negotiating with a prospective buyer, went viral on social media. A local activist then filed a complaint at Nilgiri police station. PTI could not independently verify the video’s authenticity.Nilgiri Sub-divisional Police Officer Pramod Kumar Mallick said the child was traced to the Chiminibhati area, rescued, and produced before the Child Welfare Committee. “Further investigation is underway,” he added.Police identified the father as Rakesh Kumar Behera, a mason, who allegedly received Rs 50,000 as an initial payment. Behera told reporters that financial distress drove his decision.According to police sources, Behera had married twice, and the child was born to his second wife, who is currently living separately.