Balangir, July 28: In a disturbing incident, a couple in Titilagarh block of Odisha’s Balangir district allegedly sold their newborn daughter for just Rs 20,000 due to severe financial hardship.
As per reports, the incident has been reported from Bagdor village in Bhalegaon panchayat under Titilagarh where the couple, identified as Neel Rana and his second wife Kanak Rana, allegedly gave their newborn to another couple from the Paikmal area in Bargarh district, reportedly with the assistance of a local middleman named Ravi Machhkhand.
Sources said that Neel Rana had three daughters from his first marriage. Due to severe financial problems, his first marriage fell apart, and his wife went back to her parents' home. He later married Kanak, and they had two more daughters—one who is just 13 months old, and the newborn who was sold shortly after birth at the government hospital in Titilagarh.
After the incident came to fore, the district administration swung into action and launched an investigation. Titilagarh police arrested both the middleman and Neel Rana for questioning.
A joint team of police and Childline officials was sent to Paikmal to rescue the baby girl.
Locals said that Neel works as a daily wage laborer and lives in extreme poverty. Despite his difficult situation, he has not received any benefits from government welfare programs, like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.
