Bareilly: In a major breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested six members of an alleged child trafficking gang on Saturday, which included local doctors. The arrests were made in connection with the abduction of 18-month-old Rishabh from Bareilly's Manouna Dham temple on May 24.
Details of the Arrests
Bareilly SP South, Anshika Verma, informed the Times of India, "The arrested individuals include Sanjay Kumar Vishwas, 60, who claims to hold a degree in Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) and hails from Nadia district in West Bengal; Keshavram alias Manjesh, a quack from Lakhimpur Kheri; and a woman named Seeta, who worked as a nurse in Bareilly."
Modus Operandi
The gang systematically targeted children from temples, hospitals, and crowded public places. Each child was sold for amounts ranging from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Seeta was responsible for handling the onward sale to buyers. So far, it has come to light that these individuals have sold three infants. Police are investigating whether there were more victims.
The Rescue Operation
The crackdown was initiated after Rishabh, the son of a sanitation worker, went missing while playing at Manouna Dham on May 24. A special police team was formed, which apprehended two men, Yogesh Kannaujia and Pawan Chandel, in an encounter on May 27. Rishabh was rescued safely. Interrogation of these suspects led to the identification of the 'kingpin', Uttam Vajpayee, who was arrested on May 29. Vajpayee further named Keshavram, Vishwas, and Seeta as key members of the network.
Background of the Accused
Vishwas was traced to Sitapur, while Seeta, a resident of Badaun, was found in Bareilly. Police revealed that Vishwas had a prior criminal case against him. Verma added, "Vajpayee had earlier sold two children to a staff nurse at a medical college in Bareilly."
Legal Action
An FIR has been registered under BNS sections 137-2 (kidnapping), 143-4 (trafficking of a person), and 61-2 (criminal conspiracy) against all three accused. They have been sent to jail. The police are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of the trafficking network.
