A distressing incident in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, has brought to light the desperate measures taken by impoverished families grappling with exorbitant medical costs. A father, identified as Harish Patel, was forced to ‘sell’ his three-year-old son to a couple in order to secure the release of his wife and newborn baby from a private hospital.
Patel, a daily wage earner, had taken his wife to the hospital for the delivery of their sixth child. However, he was unable to pay the hospital fees immediately. Faced with the hospital’s refusal to release his wife and newborn without full payment, Patel was driven to desperation. He agreed to ‘sell’ his son to a couple under a fraudulent adoption deed for a few thousand rupees.
The incident came to light when authorities were informed about the distressing situation. The Kushinagar police launched an immediate investigation and swiftly apprehended five individuals involved in the crime. These included Amresh Yadav, the alleged middleman, Bhola Yadav and his wife Kalawati, the ‘adoptive parents,’ Tara Kushwaha, a fake doctor, and Suganti, a hospital helper.
The police have also taken action against the police constable who allegedly failed to take action in the case, removing him from active duty and transferring him to the police lines.
This incident echoes a similar case reported in August where a newborn girl was allegedly sold by her father for ₹ 56,000 to a childless couple at a private hospital in Aligarh. Both cases highlight the vulnerability of impoverished families and the need for stricter measures to ensure the safety and well-being of children in such situations. The police are actively investigating both cases and working to ensure that the children are reunited with their families.
