Ahmedabad Nurse Investigated in Interstate Child Trafficking Racket
A nurse who worked at multiple IVF centers and gynecology hospitals in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad is under intense scrutiny for allegedly facilitating an interstate child trafficking racket that operated for nearly two years. According to crime branch officials, she served as a crucial link between hospitals and agents located in Hyderabad, Pune, and Ahmedabad. Over time, she began directly approaching childless couples, leveraging her professional background to exploit their vulnerabilities.
Background and Network Development
The woman, originally from Ahmedabad, accumulated approximately a decade of experience working at leading IVF centers in both Hyderabad and her home city. During this extensive period, she established significant contacts with doctors and fertility clinic owners. Police reports indicate that she gradually built a sophisticated network connecting IVF centers with prospective parents desperately seeking children. This network became the foundation for her alleged illicit activities.
Transition to Trafficking Operations
After resigning from her formal employment, she allegedly utilized her in-depth knowledge of IVF procedures to gain the trust of couples. She coordinated the supply of infants through a network of agents. A senior police officer revealed that she frequently traveled to tribal areas in north Gujarat, including Poshina, Kheroj, Idar, Danta, and Deesa. In these regions, she identified vulnerable women who were about to deliver children out of wedlock, exploiting their precarious situations.
Scale and Discovery of the Racket
Investigators have confirmed that at least 20 tribal infants were trafficked and sold to buyers in Hyderabad over the past two years. The racket was exposed on January 29 when four accused individuals were intercepted near Ahmedabad airport while transporting a 15-day-old baby to Hyderabad for resale. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the alleged kingpin, Yunus Sindhi, from Danta. This breakthrough has shed light on the extensive and organized nature of the trafficking operations.
Pricing and Exploitation Tactics
Police disclosed that infants were priced based on skin color and gender, with fair-skinned babies commanding up to Rs 7 lakh, while others were sold for Rs 2-3 lakh. Baby boys reportedly fetched higher rates due to demand. Officials noted that shifting social norms in tribal communities, where children born out of wedlock now face significant stigma, were ruthlessly exploited by the traffickers to source infants.
Ongoing Investigation and Focus Areas
The probe is currently concentrated on several critical aspects:
- Money Trail: Authorities are meticulously tracing the financial transactions associated with the trafficking network to uncover the flow of illicit funds.
- Identification of Buyers: Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend buyers in Hyderabad who purchased the trafficked infants.
- Examination of IVF Centers: Investigators are scrutinizing the role of IVF centers that allegedly connected childless couples with the racket network, raising questions about ethical practices in fertility treatments.
This case highlights severe lapses in regulatory oversight and the exploitation of vulnerable populations, prompting calls for stricter monitoring of adoption and fertility-related services to prevent such crimes in the future.
