On Thursday, police in Ghaziabad busted a child trafficking racket and arrested four people, including two women who owned marriage bureaus. The suspects had kidnapped an infant only days before their arrest.
Investigators said the gang targeted fair-skinned newborns and sold them for up to ₹5 lakh each. In the past three years, they trafficked more than ten babies. Those arrested were identified as Afsar Ali from Ghaziabad, labourer Naved Ansari, Swati, 35, from Shamli, and Sandhya, 37, from Muzaffarnagar.
The case started with a complaint filed on August 4 by Rashid, a resident of Pooja Colony. He told police that his infant had been kidnapped while playing outside. Using CCTV footage and intelligence inputs, officers tracked the suspects near Loni Inter College. When confronted, the two men abandoned the baby and fled on a motorcycle. Police later arrested the women.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Siddharth Gautam said Swati and Sandhya used their marriage bureaus in Shamli and Muzaffarnagar as cover. They kidnapped babies and sold them to childless couples across states. In this case, the suspects first offered the child to a couple in Moradabad for ₹2.5 lakh. When the deal collapsed, they turned to another couple in Amroha who agreed to pay ₹1.5 lakh.
Investigations showed the network stretched across Delhi, Bijnor, Moradabad, Roorkee, Amroha, Jammu & Kashmir, and Nepal. The traffickers circulated photos of children in WhatsApp groups to attract buyers. Swati and Sandhya used their contacts with childless couples to arrange deals.
Police found that Ranjhana, a nurse in Moradabad, and Deepak Singh, an Asha worker, supported the racket. They provided details of unwanted pregnancies and births in poor families. Officers also recovered chats from the women’s phones that discussed child prices and deals. Another member, Reeta, tricked women by claiming their newborns were stillborn, exposing the cruel depth of the operation.
Police filed an FIR under Section 143(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They said more charges would follow as the investigation progressed. Officers are now working to capture the remaining suspects.
This case highlights the scale of child trafficking in northern India, especially in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. Traffickers often target babies for their complexion. They also use social media platforms to expand their reach.
Authorities urged communities to remain alert and report any suspicious activity. The arrests marked a big step in breaking the network. Officials stressed that vigilance and awareness are key to protecting children and preventing such crimes.
