8-month-old boy kidnapped and sold for Rs 2.5 lakh, reunites with his mother within 5 hours
City police’s quick action, sharp intelligence, and coordinated efforts reunited an 8-month-old kidnapped boy with his mother within 5 hours after the case was reported. A toddler was kidnapped on Tuesday evening and within two hours, he was sold for Rs 2.5 lakh to another couple.
This case has brought to light a child trafficking gang that had been active for a long time in and out of the city. Out of a total of 7 accused involved in the kidnapping, police have so far arrested 4 people. A deeper investigation into this case could lead to many untraced kidnappings in the district.
The case:
Tuesday at 10 pm, a 35-year-old woman Rajkumari Nishad walked into Kalamna police station reporting her 8-month-old son missing. She claimed that her neighbour, Yogendra Prajapati, 35, had taken the boy to play with him and did not return.
After Kalamna PI confirmed the kidnapping, it immediately informed the Commissioner of Police, Amitesh Kumar, who then reached the crime scene and personally formed teams to search for the boy.
Kumar distributed 5-7 teams at various locations. Besides tracing call detail records and checking more than 100s CCTV cameras, police teams were sent to Railway stations, bus stops and even out-of-town.
Somewhere amid the investigation, the police team came across a call made by the prime accused, Prajapati to a woman, Farzan Quereshi, who is learnt to be a social worker. Police immediately called Farzan who stays just 6 minutes away from the victim, Nishad’s home.
On questioning, Farzan spilt the beans about other accused, Seema Ansari, Badal Madke and Sachin Patil, Yogendra Prajapati, his wife Rita Prajapati and the main accused, Shweta Khan.
Farzan told that Prajpati and his wife Rita handed over the kid to her. The trio then took the boy to Indora in an autorickshaw driven by Badal Madke, who is also part of the gang.
The Prajpati couple with Seema Ansari and Shweta Khan sold the boy to a couple at Indora at Rs 2.5 lakh. Prajapati, his wife Rita and Shweta Khan are still at large.
The Child trafficking Gang’s Modus Operandi
As he congratulated his team for their success, CP Kumar informed the press conference that the main suspect appeared to be Shweta Khan, who has previous criminal records in abduction cases.
“Their modus operandi seems to be to target slum areas and rent a room. Afterwards, once the target is set, they try to get to know the family and then, when the right opportunity comes along, they sell the child,” Kumar explained. According to him, they found some children’s clothes in Prajpati’s rented room.
It is very likely that this gang has kidnapped more children from the city, Kumar said.
It is possible that further questioning and investigation of the city’s gang will reveal some interesting details.