Daijiworld Media Network – Bolangir

Bolangir, Jul 28: In a disturbing incident highlighting deep-rooted poverty, a 28-day-old baby girl was rescued by police in Odisha’s Bolangir district after her parents allegedly sold her for Rs 20,000.

According to officials, the rescue was carried out on Monday from the house of a couple in Paikamal, located in the neighbouring Bargarh district. The infant has been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Titlagarh, sub-divisional police officer Kalyan Behera confirmed.

“No arrests have been made yet as no formal complaint has been registered. Our immediate priority was to rescue the child,” Behera said.

CWC in-charge chairperson Lina Babu also confirmed the rescue and said, “An inquiry will be launched during the day, and a police case will be registered accordingly.”

The case came to light on Sunday from Bagdera village under Bhaleigaon Panchayat in Titilagarh sub-division, when locals raised concerns over a missing newborn.

The biological parents, identified as Nila and Kanak Rana, reportedly handed over the infant to the other family citing extreme financial distress. Both Nila and Kanak are remarried — Nila has three daughters from a previous marriage, while Kanak has one daughter.

While police sources say the baby was allegedly sold for Rs 20,000, the Paikamal couple has denied any monetary exchange, stating they took the baby only to ensure her better care and upbringing.

“We didn’t sell her. We gave her for a better life,” Nila Rana reportedly told the CWC during questioning.

This is not the first such incident in the region. In November 2024, a newborn was rescued in Bolangir’s Lathor area after the mother allegedly sold the child to a private hospital in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Authorities have promised a thorough investigation into the latest case while the rescued infant remains in the custody of the CWC.