BY TC News Desk
Agartala, November 25: A newborn girl who was sold by her father for Rs 30,000 due to poverty was rescued by the administration in Tripura’s Khowai district on Saturday. The baby was found in a critical condition due to malnutrition and was admitted to Teliamura Hospital along with her mother.
The incident took place at Banshipara under Mungiakami block of Teliamura sub-division, where Khokan Debbarma allegedly sold his daughter while his wife was asleep. The mother woke up to find her daughter missing and raised an alarm. She searched for her child in the neighbourhood, but could not find her. The matter came to light after local media reported it, causing public outrage.
On Friday evening, Chief Minister Prof Dr Manik Saha ordered an inquiry into the case of child selling due to scarcity. Following his order, the Khowai district administration formed a special team comprising of DCM Saurabh Das, police and Child Line officials. The team traced the baby girl to Karbook and brought her to the hospital around 3:30 am on Saturday.
Khowai District Magistrate Chandani Chandran said that a detailed investigation will be conducted into the incident. She said that the administration will try to return the baby girl to her parents, but if they refuse to keep her, then further steps will be taken after consulting with them. She also said that the possibility of keeping the baby girl in a home will be considered if necessary.
A doctor at Teliamura Hospital said that the baby girl was suffering from severe malnutrition and needed proper care. He said that both the mother and the child were under observation.
The girl’s father said that he was very poor and could not afford to raise a child. He said that he sold his daughter out of desperation and regretted his decision.
