Did Chennai Police Uncover a Child Trafficking Racket?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Chennai police have successfully rescued two children from a trafficking operation.
- Three women have been arrested in connection with the case.
- The operation was initiated after a local report of a child sale.
- Authorities are investigating the broader implications of a potential trafficking network.
- Child welfare officials are now caring for the rescued children.
Chennai, July 26 (NationPress) A significant development in the battle against child trafficking occurred in Chennai as local police dismantled a suspected trafficking operation in the Puzhal region.
Authorities successfully rescued two children, including a two-year-old girl, and apprehended three women linked to the case.
The operation was initiated when Karthik, a resident of the area, approached the Puzhal Police with alarming news about an offer he received from an unidentified woman proposing the sale of a male child for Rs 12 lakh. Shocked by the offer, Karthik promptly reported it to the police. Inspector Rajinikanth registered a case and initiated a covert operation to apprehend the suspects.
Under police guidance, Karthik maintained communication with the woman and negotiated terms. She requested Rs 10 lakh to be given to the child’s mother and Rs 2 lakh for herself as a commission. The woman agreed to deliver the child at a predetermined location in Puzhal.
As planned, the woman arrived on a two-wheeler with the child. Police, positioned nearby, intercepted her and took both to the police station for questioning.
During initial questioning, the woman claimed the child was her friend’s and that she was merely facilitating the arrangement. This led police to trace two additional women to a residence near Ambattur.
At that location, officers rescued another child—also a two-year-old girl—who was allegedly being prepared for sale. All three women were detained for further investigation.
Preliminary inquiries indicated that one of the women, reportedly estranged from her husband and facing financial hardship, had plans to sell her own child, with the assistance of the other two women in finalizing the arrangement.
Authorities discovered numerous images of children on one of the accused's mobile devices, raising alarms about a potentially wider trafficking network.
The police are currently probing whether the children were kidnapped, surrendered, or acquired through other illicit means.
The rescued children have been entrusted to child welfare officials, and the investigation is being broadened to uncover the full extent of the operation.
Law enforcement has not dismissed the chance of additional arrests as they delve deeper into the suspected trafficking network.