4 held in Madurai for attempt to sell baby

MADURAI: Four women were arrested in Madurai on charges of attempting to sell a baby girl. According to police, a 28-year-old woman from Usilampatti, who lost her husband, had moved to Tirupur for work reasons and she married a local resident in that district.

During the course of family life, she became pregnant. But she was hesitant to bear the child fearing stigma in her native place. Though the woman was in a dilemma, she approached a woman identified as Malathi, who is not a qualified medical personnel, residing at Annamarpatti near Usilampatti for the delivery.

However, the woman before the expected time, delivered a baby girl at her house itself. As the woman’s mother objected to raising the child, she again met Malathi and explained her situation.

Following this, Malathi accepted to take the infant with a plan to sell it to someone, who is in need of a baby. Subsequently, Malathi contacted her relatives, C Pandiyammal and Alagu Pandiyammal, and told them that a baby is available for sale. Then Pandiyammal told that their relative Chinna Pandiyammal residing in Karumbalai was in need of a baby and would buy it for a sum.

As planned the trio approached Chinna Pandiyammal, who agreed to buy the baby and the cash was handed at Arappalayam. Meanwhile, police, who got a tip about the baby sale racket, rushed to Arappalayam and arrested the quartet, while they were exchanging the baby and cash. The baby was rescued and sent to neonatal intensive care unit in Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai.