Infant ‘sold’ for Rs 4000 rescued, reunited with mother in Tripura

Agartala, Nov 9: A five-month-old infant, allegedly “sold” by his mother in exchange for Rs 4000, has been rescued by Childline members and reunited with his biological family in Tripura’s Gomati district.

According to officials who spoke anonymously to The Assam Tribune, the child’s mother, Ratna Bauri, handed over her fourth child, Ankur Bauri, to a local resident, Tapas Chakraborty, about two months ago.

A Sepahijala District Administration official said that Ratna, unable to provide for her children, sought someone who could care for Ankur.

Chakraborty, who had promised to support the child, reportedly gave the mother money as a “goodwill gesture” rather than as part of a formal sale.

“After receiving the information, a joint team of the CWC officials, childline and District Child Rights Protection Unit (DCPU), Sepahijala visited the houses of mother and Chakraborty and reunited the child with his biological mother. The child is under constant monitoring of the authorities,” said the official.

The official added that the family’s financial troubles worsened after Ratna’s husband, Dulal Bauri, separated from them. Local sources say Dulal lives apart and rarely visits, leaving Ratna to care for their children alone.

An investigation found that Dulal’s name is missing from his family’s government records, which makes him ineligible for certain state benefits.

Although he has been given land through the Mukhya Mantri Cha Shramik Unnayan Prakalpa, he doesn’t have the job card needed for MGNREGA employment, further limiting his ability to support the family.

Two days ago, the Sepahijala district administration had launched an investigation into reports of Ankur being sold off.

The incident had come to light through Partha Pratima Majumder, a senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader in Bishalgarh and divisional committee secretary, who highlighted the family's desperate circumstances.