A shocking case has surfaced from Punjab’s Mansa district, where a drug-addicted couple allegedly sold their five-month-old son for Rs 1.8 lakh to continue with their substance abuse. The incident took place in Akbarpur Khudal village under the Budhlada subdivision.
The matter came to light after the child’s aunt approached the police, seeking help to reunite the baby with his parents. According to sources, the child’s 19-year-old mother was once a state-level wrestler, but under the influence of her drug-addict husband, she too became addicted.
According to couple had met through Instagram and are now living in extreme poverty, with their makeshift kitchen set up on the floor of their house’s verandah. The couple allegedly used the money received from selling their son to buy drugs, some household items, and to reclaim their mortgaged motorcycle.
Villagers said they had repeatedly urged the couple to give up their addiction, but their pleas went in vain.
District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Harjinder Kaur confirmed the incident, stating that reliable sources had informed the department about the sale. “The couple handed over their baby to a family in Budhlada about a month ago. Both families even signed a document, which they referred to as an adoption letter. Our teams are now gathering further details,” she said.
Given the couple’s poor condition and drug dependency, Kaur said returning the child to them immediately would not be appropriate. “Whether the child should remain with the adopting family or be taken into our custody will depend on senior authorities. At present, we lack the infrastructure to provide long-term care for the infant,” she added.
