Couples Hopeful of Reuniting with Illegally Purchased Children After Traffickers’ Arrest
HYDERABAD: Following a recent order of the Telangana High Court, couples who bought children illegally from a child kidnapping gang are hopeful that they will be reunited with their ‘wards’.
The police had busted the inter-state child trafficking gang on May 29 and rescued 24 babies, who had been illegally sold to childless couples. Police sent the children to a shelter home and booked cases against the traffickers and the couples. The couples said they had developed a special attachment towards the children and prayed for their return.
Among them are 11 couples, aged between 40 and 45 years. Many of them said they had been visiting temples and making votives (mokku) to get the children back. They said they had bought Dasara gifts for the children. Two couples said they were scheduled to go abroad but dropped their plans,
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, one of the couples, who paid the kidnap gang `3.5 lakh, said, “We were cheated by the agents. We later realised that we bought the baby illegally. For years, we have been trying to legally adopt a female baby and we were told that the adaptation process would take at least four to five years.” They were assured that they could legally adopt the baby later.
“We were told that over 24 babies were rescued by the police, but so far not a single biological parent has turned up to claim the kids. Our motive may be wrong but our intentions are clear. Instead of placing the kids in a shelter home, the government should give them to us. We can take better care of them,” he said.“Initially we were allowed to meet the baby girl at Sishu Vihar. Later we were not allowed. Even today, all the 11 couples go to Sishu Vihar to only have a glimpse of the kids,” another person said.
