Seven arrested for selling baby boy in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: The Thudiyalur police on Saturday arrested seven people, six of them women, in connection with illegal sale and adoption of a baby boy. The boy was rescued from a couple in Kanyakumari district and brought to the city on Saturday night. Police said a few more people will also be arrested in connection with the case on Sunday.The arrested people have been identified as Anitha, 28, of Karamadai in Coimbatore district; her lover B Mohanraj, 29, of Keelpillaiyanur in Perambalur; M Ranjitha alias Aarthi, 32, of Kavundampalayam in Coimbatore; P Sujatha, 32, of Singanallur in Coimbatore; M Pugalampal alias Deevi, 52, of Panamarathupatti in Salem; G Green Lilly, 40, of Dasampatti in Salem; and P Shobha, 45, of Karumapuram near Vazhapadi in Salem.According to a police officer, Anitha was separated from her husband. "She fell in love with Mohanraj and gave birth to a baby boy last year. The couple sold the baby for Rs2 lakh to Salem-based touts, who sold the baby to a Kanyakumari-based couple."He said the incident came to light only a few days ago, when Anitha approached them to get back her son after a fight with Mohanraj over selling the baby.With the help of Childline officials, police launched an investigation on Thursday and traced the whereabouts of the baby to Kanyakumari. "Our team reached Kanyakumari on Saturday morning and rescued the boy. The couple who adopted the baby have also been brought to the city," the officer said.The Thudiyalur police registered a case and arrested seven people, who have been remanded in judicial custody.Baby girl given away in illegal adoption diesIn another incidemt, the Vadavalli police on Friday booked eight people, four of them women, in connection with the illegal sale and adoption of a baby girl, who died at a children's home recently. According to police, a 26-year-old woman from Kotagiri in the Nilgiris was in an affair with a married man and became pregnant. "She gave birth to a baby girl on February 5 at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital. A couple from Tirupattur district adopted the baby girl. Many touts are involved in the illegal adoption," a police officer said.Meanwhile, a health department staffer in Kotagiri came to know about the illegal adoption and alerted the Vadavalli police, who registered a case against eight people on Thursday. While the baby girl was rescued from the Tirupattur-based couple, she died at a children's home at Kinathukadavu a few days ago."We have summoned the booked eight to appear before us on Monday, when a postmortem will b e performed on the body to ascertain the cause of death," the officer said.